How Can Intelligent People Be So Stupid?

Carl

"Much of our difficulty arises from the naming, ..." I really can relate to this. For example , "If empty is the body of GOD, for me, then silence is GOD's voice. The less I expect GOD to be, or try to define it, the easier it is to find myself in GOD's presensce." I found this quote in a World War II video game, and it makes a lot of sense to me.

Jesus said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you". This reminds me of the Gospel of Thomas, where Jesus reflects upon the oneness of everything. It is our choice and we do that by what we desire! It is our mind (brains) that does the choosing and connecting to what is within and around us.

Carl

A person's capacity to learn external information, whatever the paradigm, may usurp his motivation to [chref=33]know himself[/chref], vis-a-vis a [chref=43]teaching that uses no words[/chref]. The more we focus on a narrow fields of expertise, the more likely we miss the 'big picture' outside our 'boxes' of expertise. The [chref=65]cleverness[/chref] we prize so highly in civilization, ranked not only by IQ tests, but also by the Olympics, the Oscars, Nobel Prizes, the Grammy Awards, etc., may also be a measure of one's capacity for stupidity. I suppose this begs the question: are the values that civilization prizes so highly actually [chref=53]by-paths[/chref]? Hmmmm....?

So Why Do We [chref=53] Prefer By-Paths[/chref]?
They are fun! Nothing beats [chref=20]going up to a terrace in spring[/chref]. Am I right? We put all our eggs in the current [chref=37]desire's[/chref] basket. We tend to pursue that in which we excel. After all, our actions and our thoughts defines who we believe we are, or who we wish others to think we are. We are driven by a competitive hierarchical instinct. We [chref=22]contend[/chref] with each other, and our selves. And that works for most folk, most of the time. But, if it doesn't, what then?

[chref=41]The way that seems to lead backward[/chref] is ideal for those for whom actions, skills, and knowledge no longer give sufficient life meaning. For 'us', meaning can be found at the opposite end of expertise, at the non-[chref=8]contending[/chref] bottom rather than the top. Here life meaning is found in [chref=40]weakness[/chref]. Here, what we are least inclined to be proud of is [chref=1]the gateway of the manifold secrets[/chref]. Hmmmm... that sounds a little peculiar doesn't it.

Lynn Cornish

Brings to mind that in order to have something shrink you must first stretch it. So maybe we have to pursue our field of expertise and while we feel we are on the way up--i.e. still learning and getting "better"--our hopes and dreams look like they will be fulfilled. The carrot is working and pulling us forward. Then, when we get older and realize there never was a carrot at all, that's when we look backwards and return to....what is.

It works out really well: while we are young and energetic we achieve and raise our families. When we get old and worn out, we are ready to relax and return to stillness. Makes good sense to me!

I have been learning how to paint watercolors. I find that I am happy just being at home doing it and enjoying the process. Other people have been pushing me to show my work in restaurants and galleries and try to get comissions for portraits. etc. etc. etc., saying that if I don't it's because I don't think I'm good enough. So there is a good example of society pushing me into a major bypath. It's the American way! Be successful! Make money! So thanks for helping me see that. Now I can just go on painting and giving my stuff away.