A long time ago I repeated a creation myth I once heard, that 'god' was so lonely that s/he tore him/herself in half so s/he could have someone else to hold; and thus creation.
Of all the creation myths I've heard this is the one that resonates most deeply.
I often think about the time when the entirety of our society has destroyed itself (most likely with carbon emissions), what will future civilizations say of ours, as archaeologists do of the ruins they study. I think that it'll be probably that our civilization is one that could not control itself. We have no controls on those who are most powerful despite our attempts with the law supposedly applying itself equally to everyone.
The problem with our out-of-control society is the rich who have everything are off in-search of a new way to quench the pain of existence. Most of us have felt this pain as achievement: and now what? Some are so lucky they have enough money to buy all the shiny baubles that are glittery and fun but when they actually get them there is nothing but disappointment, or there are new problems to solve - bags full of new toys are opened and once the packaging is discarded, there is just another thing that needs to be found room for so it can be put away, emptiness conquers all physical things.
Constant distraction, whether it is TV, a movie, a party, noise, work, chasing money to pay off the cost of living in our shiny shiny world, the reality is we are hiding from the pain of how meaningless the whole thing is.
The only thing I've found that isn't meaningless is the connection to another human being, someone I have a connection with.
In some sense we can empathize with everyone to some extent, you can feel anyone's humanity if you have a mind to, but we have all trained ourselves to block the experience of another human's humanity as well. I am sure we've all experienced the emotional overload of ads from charities on TV. There is only so much sensationalism we can endure before it becomes overwhelming, so overwhelming that we feel literally powerless to do anything about it. TV makes everything so big and by comparison the individual feels small.
But the connection to another human being is a fragile thing. There is so much someone can throw at others before they turn around and say 'I cannot deal with this anymore'; when in reality all they want is to feel a connection. It's been found the best way to make people give up drugs is by giving them a meaningful connection to other human beings where they are welcomed, useful and necessary; a relationship based on equality, where things can't happen without them.
The connection we all seek is based on love but it doesn't mean it is sexual, all friendship is based on love. It is hard to care deeply for all people because it is based on forgiveness for all those things that we have to deal with with each other.
I hate quoting the Bible and especially St Paul, but he got I Corinthians 13:4-8 right:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...
Love (and probably information or knowledge) is the only thing that quenches the needs of the soul. And only someone who has all they need can say that. The poor have to keep their head above the water to stop themselves from drowning in our society. One missed payment and their lives come tumbling down, whether they have love or not. Meanwhile the rich run about the planet searching for something to ease their pain - the only thing is money won't stop their loneliness or their pain. The rich think that if they are rich they will eventually find someone to satisfy their pain but the only people they find will be searching through all the shiny baubles too.
Of all the creation myths I've heard this is the one that resonates most deeply.
I often think about the time when the entirety of our society has destroyed itself (most likely with carbon emissions), what will future civilizations say of ours, as archaeologists do of the ruins they study. I think that it'll be probably that our civilization is one that could not control itself. We have no controls on those who are most powerful despite our attempts with the law supposedly applying itself equally to everyone.
The problem with our out-of-control society is the rich who have everything are off in-search of a new way to quench the pain of existence. Most of us have felt this pain as achievement: and now what? Some are so lucky they have enough money to buy all the shiny baubles that are glittery and fun but when they actually get them there is nothing but disappointment, or there are new problems to solve - bags full of new toys are opened and once the packaging is discarded, there is just another thing that needs to be found room for so it can be put away, emptiness conquers all physical things.
Constant distraction, whether it is TV, a movie, a party, noise, work, chasing money to pay off the cost of living in our shiny shiny world, the reality is we are hiding from the pain of how meaningless the whole thing is.
The only thing I've found that isn't meaningless is the connection to another human being, someone I have a connection with.
In some sense we can empathize with everyone to some extent, you can feel anyone's humanity if you have a mind to, but we have all trained ourselves to block the experience of another human's humanity as well. I am sure we've all experienced the emotional overload of ads from charities on TV. There is only so much sensationalism we can endure before it becomes overwhelming, so overwhelming that we feel literally powerless to do anything about it. TV makes everything so big and by comparison the individual feels small.
But the connection to another human being is a fragile thing. There is so much someone can throw at others before they turn around and say 'I cannot deal with this anymore'; when in reality all they want is to feel a connection. It's been found the best way to make people give up drugs is by giving them a meaningful connection to other human beings where they are welcomed, useful and necessary; a relationship based on equality, where things can't happen without them.
The connection we all seek is based on love but it doesn't mean it is sexual, all friendship is based on love. It is hard to care deeply for all people because it is based on forgiveness for all those things that we have to deal with with each other.
I hate quoting the Bible and especially St Paul, but he got I Corinthians 13:4-8 right:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...
Love (and probably information or knowledge) is the only thing that quenches the needs of the soul. And only someone who has all they need can say that. The poor have to keep their head above the water to stop themselves from drowning in our society. One missed payment and their lives come tumbling down, whether they have love or not. Meanwhile the rich run about the planet searching for something to ease their pain - the only thing is money won't stop their loneliness or their pain. The rich think that if they are rich they will eventually find someone to satisfy their pain but the only people they find will be searching through all the shiny baubles too.
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