One of the most amazing attributes of a "stupid" person is his conviction. He has so little exposure to life that he is quite convinced of what he thinks. The top-notch scientists of the day are not sure of the universe's genesis, but a "stupid" person would be convinced of the universe's genesis based on whatever he has heard in the mythological stories prevalent in his society. This "conviction" is very attractive. People want certainty, and that is why these "idiots" are sold heavily in the market.
It makes sense. Why would somebody like to go for inconclusive and confused advice? But at what cost? You go to a baba and the baba tells with certainty that you imagine "God" using a particular technique, and due to constant "mental visualization" of God, you get to hallucinate meeting God. Yes, it has fulfilled the long-pending desire. But what has it done to our lives? Hasn't it wrapped our lives with a thick layer of lies? Lies that we believe to be true. How does that false satisfaction of "meeting God" help us? We would be selling that idea to a thousand more people we interact with, and if the majority of our own circle "meets God" the same way, we all will be scratching each other's backs. But what purpose does it serve? It's like staying in a village full of idiots where idiocy is idealised.
We are born "aware" but die "dumb". A Child is open to observing everything without biases. However, by the time we are about to die, we have "bulletproof belief systems". No bullet of "observation" can enter our bulletproof minds. We see our old parents struggling with psychological issues primarily due to their "bulletproof minds," and yet would never contemplate the same and continue to remain limited and closed. We would see wars all around due to these bulletproof minds, and yet would continue to believe that nothing would happen to us.
Yesterday, I was reading a book titled "Habit" by Charles Duhigg, and while reading the introduction, something struck my mind. The author has mentioned that while we encounter something, our mind is quite observant initially, and then the moment it finds some "familiar habit pattern", observation drops, and we act habitually thereafter. That's the brain's formula to save energy. That's what we do in most of the discussions. We start with the observation of the points being made by the other person, and soon our brains stop listening to what the other person is saying and start thinking about our past beliefs and thoughts on the subject. There is very little listening. The more we are convinced of our framework of life, the less we listen. This conviction about our thoughts and beliefs is again due to a lack of listening. Thus, this is a chicken-and-egg problem.
We are definitely not born aware to die dumb. However, "bulletproof minds" do not allow observation so easily. We all carry "bulletproof minds" without even realizing it. We all have the choice to die dumb or stay aware. If someone acknowledges the "stupidity" of dying dumb, they will seek a solution. The simplest solution is to read books by various authors on different subjects, watch movies set in diverse contexts, meet people from different cultures, interact with them, and travel to various parts of the world. "Meditation" is, of course, a very strong solution provided we understand what meditation is. It is not to sit cross-legged and keep watching our thoughts like a movie. It is "choiceless observation" of each and every thought and sensation. All these activities expand our minds to new inputs for which we have not yet formed beliefs, allowing us to examine things afresh. They strengthen our "muscles of observation." The next time we revisit our beliefs, a "little window" in the "bulletproof mind" opens to observe and assimilate a different perspective. Undoubtedly, this will make us feel "uncertain" because the "conviction and certainty of belief" will be shaken by new exposure. While it may make us uncomfortable, it is up to us to choose between the "comfort of idiocy" and the "uncertainty of reality."
Comments