Recently I read an article in my newspaper of which I thought, that it could be interesting for us in our quest for the meaning of life.
We’ll digress a little from our original path, but I think it is worth it. I want your opinion about the following text:
-START- We exist as bio-electricity. Today, science tells us that the essence of nature is stardust. We dream, we self-actualize, we are reborn.
We must heal ourselves and empower others. Who are we? Where on the great path will we be awakened?
We are in the midst of a mythic ennobling of non-locality that will clear a path toward the galaxy itself.
Reality has always been beaming with dreamweavers whose essences are engulfed in intuition. We are at a crossroads of fulfilment and dogma.
Humankind has nothing to lose. Throughout history, humans have been interacting with the world via frequencies.
Our conversations with other adventurers have led to an invocation of supra-mystical consciousness.
The current of aspiration is now happening worldwide. Soon there will be an evolving of serenity the likes of which the planet has never seen. -END-
Well, what do you think? What’s your opinion about this disquisition? Tell me…
[13:11] CB Axel: I don't think we'll see serenity in my lifetime.
[13:11] herman Bergson: ok
[13:12] herman Bergson: anyone else?
[13:12] herman Bergson: It didnt ring any bell?
[13:12] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm not sure
[13:13] herman Bergson: Well...let me help you :-)
This text was created with The New-Age Bullshit Generator at http://sebpearce.com/bullshit/
However, when you read some meaning in this text, it is not surprising. My point is this:
Even when you give people a meaningless mishmash of words, a number of them will yet try to make something profound of it.
There is something special in our minds. You could call it the primacy of the narrative.
Our preference for the narrative explains why we can appreciate art and literature. I catch myself in the act here,
because I often say that the pictures I post on my Flickr page are not pictures but small stories actually.
The narrative plays an important role these days. When the story is good, the truth value of facts seems less important.
Just look how Trump can lie about anything as long as he has a good story. Think of the new phenomenon of fake news.
And then al these conspiracy stories about e.g. 9/11 or the murder on Kennedy. We love stories. Fact checking seems secondary.
In that sense it also relates to our quest for the meaning of life. All religions come with stories of which we sometimes even don’t question the factuality at all.
Even when not factual at all, we love stories. They sound coherent, They put things in place.
Maybe this can be a warning for us to stay alert and not the fall for the very first good story about the meaning of life….
Thank you… ^_^
The Discussion
[13:20] CB Axel: Or we have to make up our own stories about the meaning of life.
[13:20] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): I make a great distinction here, art and literature is one thing and doesnt have to be real, for ex sci fi fantasy
[13:20] CB Axel: Instead of life giving us a meaning, we need to make up our own meaning to give life.
[13:20] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ut stories about what is actually ocurring in reality i want to be true and not just lie after lie
[13:21] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): the reality is not a sci fi novel
[13:21] CB Axel: I agree, Bejiita.
[13:21] herman Bergson: Yes CB.....
[13:21] herman Bergson: and the most intriguing thing in this process is.....
[13:21] herman Bergson: do differnet people yet come up with a similar story?
[13:22] CB Axel: That would be hard to determine.
[13:22] herman Bergson: The problem is, Bejiita, that the narrative overshadows the facticity easily....
[13:22] herman Bergson: They did an experiment....
[13:22] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): seems so
[13:22] herman Bergson: People got toread a story.....
[13:22] CB Axel: Have people come up with the same god stories or have they all been taught the same stories.
[13:22] herman Bergson: but in that story were factual mistakes....
[13:22] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but still
[13:23] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ut that is me
[13:23] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but
[13:23] herman Bergson: like ...The moved to St Peterburg, because they wanted to live in the capitla of the country...
[13:23] herman Bergson: When he readers later ware asked...what is the captial of russia...a 25% said...ST Petersburg
[13:23] Laila Schuman: that is why i believe that the Bible and the Quoran are written as poetry... that they allude to meanings but are not concrete meanings
[13:24] Laila Schuman: a pathway
[13:24] herman Bergson: true...
[13:24] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah
[13:24] herman Bergson: they are good stories....
[13:24] herman Bergson: and when you add a will to believe to it, factual truth becomes almost irrelevant
[13:25] CB Axel: I just listened to a Hidden Brain podcast where they talked about information bias.
[13:25] herman Bergson: ahh...
[13:25] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but not true at all, if it was just a story but here its someone trying to convince people this is how the world works, its reality, not a story
[13:25] herman Bergson: And what did it tell you CB?
[13:25] CB Axel: How if people are told something, even if false, it changed their perceptions about other things.
[13:25] CB Axel: I can't be more specific. I was in bed with this fever and may have dreamed some of it.
[13:25] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): for ex many good films have been created from the bible and similar works
[13:25] herman Bergson: Yes, it does....
[13:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but those are also just films = fantasy
[13:26] CB Axel: I do recommend the podcast, though, if it's available in your area.
[13:26] herman Bergson: Just take the example that someone tells you something bad about a good person you know....
[13:26] herman Bergson: it is a lie..but yet...your perception of the good person may have become a little biased
[13:27] herman Bergson: I dont know anything about podcasts :-)
[13:27] herman Bergson: Never listened to it
[13:28] CB Axel: It's free from iTunes or their website.
[13:28] herman Bergson: Neither do I know whereto find them :-)
[13:28] CB Axel: http://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain
[13:28] herman Bergson: ok :-)
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i listen o a lot of such ones, right now a dance friend send me a link to a pot about swedish breakdance history and legends and also i follow one called kodsnack = code talk in swedish about programming
[13:29] herman Bergson: interesting....
[13:29] CB Axel: I listen to mostly science podcasts.
[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): you can learn much from pods
[13:30] Alaya Chépaspourquoi (alaya.kumaki): aw sorry . my pc started maintenance... ill try to read back
[13:30] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): is that the same as TED talks?
[13:30] herman Bergson: But the message of today is that we should stay alert and not go for nice stories in the first place, but still for fact checking
[13:30] CB Axel: Hidden Brain is the one I look forward to most. °͜°
[13:30] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): podcast come from apples ipod, like audiobooks and similar you can download as an mp3 into them instead of reading a book, they can be about everything
[13:31] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): ok, thank you
[13:31] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hence podcast have become the general term for these
[13:31] herman Bergson: worth looking into it....
[13:32] herman Bergson: I'll try first to reveal that Hidden Brain of CB :-)
[13:32] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): but there is so much fake news on hte internet
[13:32] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): we should check everything we here there
[13:32] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): hear
[13:32] CB Axel: I used to host a group for listening to a podcast at the Science Circle for awhile. I should start one for Hidden Brain. °͜°
[13:32] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): indeed and people just swallow it all and then violence ensures
[13:32] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hate flooding the world based on lies
[13:32] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): really sad
[13:32] CB Axel: I try to look into every website you all post here. °͜°
[13:33] CB Axel: Ah! I found the one I was talking about.
[13:33] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and i think every time, are everyone this stupid, then i have lost belief in humanity
[13:33] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): dont get it
[13:33] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): check facts!
[13:33] herman Bergson: Not so pessimistic Bejiita :-)
[13:33] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): very important
[13:33] herman Bergson: Look at history.....
[13:34] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): when reading a story you have to stop and think and not instantly react
[13:34] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but thats what people do today
[13:34] herman Bergson: There have been crazy and stupid rulers all the time.....and crazy crowds too
[13:34] CB Axel: It was about how studying economics makes us selfish by planting the idea of looking out for yourself even at the expense of others is good economic policy.
[13:34] herman Bergson: That is what I said, Bejiita....we love stories......
[13:35] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): seems so no matter what the story is
[13:35] herman Bergson: When Trump says time and again he is acting in defence of the safety of the country, the story of present and imminent violence is in the minds of the listeners
[13:35] CB Axel: I love the story of the Magna Carta. I've been thinking we need to have a meeting with Trump at Runnymede.
[13:35] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but a story for me is almost always not real and should be read as a work of art, like that sci fi novel, and not be interpreted as reality
[13:35] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): story vs fact and news
[13:36] Laila Schuman: if you hear something approximately seven times...then you tend to believe it
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): very important difference to me
[13:36] herman Bergson: He thus creates the story of permanent terrorist violence in the US, allthough there hasnt been a terrorist attack for more than almost 10 years in the US
[13:36] CB Axel: Ah. Another of the podcasts was about how people like to think of their governments as a sort of a parent, as in the fatherland or mother country.
[13:36] Laila Schuman: so "they" make sure that around ten people make the same statement around the same period of time...
[13:36] Laila Schuman: part of politics
[13:36] CB Axel: When in frightening times, we turn to our "parent" for protection.
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): just like Hitler did = scary
[13:37] Laila Schuman: propaganda technique
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Trump act just like that
[13:37] Laila Schuman: right now, fear is being planted... and nurtured
[13:37] Laila Schuman: a technique for dictators
[13:37] CB Axel: Conservatives like a strict parent who lays down the law. Liberals prefer a nuturing parent who will care for us.
[13:37] herman Bergson: Iam amazed to witness that a Trump with his stories is able to destroy all credibility of his country
[13:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): agree
[13:38] Laila Schuman: agree
[13:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): its mindbogglng to me
[13:38] herman Bergson: And most amazing is that maybe 40% of the people even believe him and agree with him
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): another thing to that yes
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): have people not learned more
[13:39] CB Axel: I agree with what Laila is saying.
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i just dont get it
[13:39] Laila Schuman: the new head of the dept of education... is setting things up in a way that is not going to help people THINK
[13:39] Laila Schuman: divide and conquer
[13:39] herman Bergson: yes...
[13:40] CB Axel: She scares me the most with the new EPA head second scariest.
[13:40] Laila Schuman: teach them in the way that is most expedient
[13:40] Laila Schuman: leads to your own ends
[13:40] herman Bergson: Well...from my side of the Atlantic.....these developments worry me....
[13:40] Laila Schuman: make your own "truth"
[13:41] CB Axel: They scare me shitless.
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): if this continues WW3 might be upon us very soon, someone of these maniacs do something really stupid, then the entire planet gets niked
[13:41] CB Axel: Pardon my language. °͜°
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): nuked
[13:41] Alaya Chépaspourquoi (alaya.kumaki): propaganda was a lot during nazi mouvement too
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): exactly same pattern as then now almost
[13:42] CB Axel: Yeah, and Trump is using a lot of the same techniques.
[13:42] CB Axel: But how do we change the story he's telling us?
[13:42] Laila Schuman whispers: a new head of security has been sworn in ... he sounds like a person who will stand up to trump... thank goodness... and hopefully he will get
[13:42] Laila Schuman: Bannon banned from the security council
[13:42] CB Axel: Hi, Ciska.
[13:43] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hi CIska
[13:43] Ciska Riverstone whispers: hi everyone
[13:43] herman Bergson: Hi Ciska :-)
[13:43] herman Bergson: Unfortunately we are done now......
[13:43] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well first of all we assume everything Trump says is a big fat lie and then check facts
[13:43] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): problem solved (almost)
[13:43] Laila Schuman: yes
[13:44] herman Bergson: As I told you today Bejiita....
[13:44] CB Axel: OK. Let me rephrase that. How do we get the people who want to believe his crap to do that?
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): after what he said about sweden (nothing happened here at all) im 100 % on that
[13:44] herman Bergson: when the story is a good one, fact checking isnt that effective anymore to undo the effect of the story
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah
[13:45] CB Axel: And don't forget that they think we're the fools who don't want to face the "truth."
[13:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): thats the probem needed to be solved so save this sinking ship
[13:45] Laila Schuman: Fox News has an entertainment license.... not a license for News....
[13:45] herman Bergson: Nono bejiita....he meant something with increase of criminality and immigration.....not a terrorist attack
[13:45] CB Axel: They want to believe the alternate facts that fit in with their "stories."
[13:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): he said something like "look what happened now on friday in Sweden" nothing particular occured anywhere here
[13:46] Laila Schuman: they want to not be held to the truth... through legal channels
[13:46] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ordinary calm day
[13:46] herman Bergson: Yes...brilliant invention..."ALTERNATIVE FACTS"
[13:46] herman Bergson: Let me conclude this alternative discussion for now :-)
[13:46] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): the most used word in 2017 I suppose..alternative facts!
[13:47] herman Bergson: otherwise we might go on for hours.....
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hehe
[13:47] CB Axel: True. And I'm tired. °͜°
[13:47] herman Bergson: Thank you all again for your participation....
[13:47] herman Bergson: Class dismissed
[13:47] CB Axel: Thank you, Herman.
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): was great again
[13:47] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): thank you Herman
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
