The Rare Ted Talk They Don't Want You to See

Summary

This thought-provoking script explores the concept of reality, questioning our presuppositions and their impact on life decisions. It critiques the scientific view of a lifeless universe and delves into the mysteries of consciousness. The speaker advocates for a phenomenological approach, where meaning and interest guide personal growth and resilience. The script suggests that pursuing genuine interests can transform individuals, making them robust against life's adversities and safeguarding against pathological belief systems.

Takeaways

• 🧠 The concept of 'real' is subjective and based on presuppositions that guide our life decisions, and these assumptions can have significant impacts on our lives.
• 🔬 The scientific view of reality as fundamentally dead matter has limitations, particularly in explaining phenomena like consciousness and the transformation of potential into actuality.
• 💡 Alternative perspectives on reality, such as phenomenology, suggest that what is most meaningful to us is most real, which can have protective effects against certain modern pathologies.
• 🌑 Nihilistic hopelessness can arise from the belief that life lacks inherent meaning, leading to a potential weakening of the individual during challenging times.
• 🚫 Pathological belief systems, sometimes a consequence of the conflict between religious and scientific viewpoints, have historically led to disastrous outcomes, including mass movements and near-annihilation.
• 👁️ The human eye as a symbol of attention and perception is central to understanding reality, with phenomenologists positing that what manifests as meaningful is more real than mere objects.
• 🌟 Children perceive the world in a more open and unfiltered way, experiencing reality as it 'shines forth', which contrasts with the narrowed perceptions of adults focused on specific goals.
• 💖 Love and interest in something can momentarily lift the barriers of perception, allowing the true essence of reality to shine through and provide a glimpse of a better future.
• 📚 As we mature, we tend to narrow our focus for practical reasons, becoming more competent but potentially more blind to the unfiltered reality that children and lovers can perceive.
• 🌱 The development of individuality and integrity comes from pursuing genuine interests that align with one's values, transforming both the individual and their goals over time.
• 🔮 The pursuit of what genuinely interests us can lead to personal transformation, making us stronger and more capable of bearing life's adversities, and aligning us with a deeper reality.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the discussion in the transcript?

The main theme of the discussion is the exploration of the concept of 'real' and how our assumptions about reality shape our lives, decisions, and the potential pathologies that can arise from incomplete or incorrect assumptions.

Why are our assumptions about reality important according to the speaker?

Our assumptions about reality are important because they form the basis of the decisions that govern our lives. Incorrect or incomplete assumptions can lead to significant consequences and pathologies.

What is the issue with the scientific view of reality as presented in the transcript?

The issue with the scientific view of reality is that it considers the bottom stratum of reality to be dead matter, devoid of meaning or purpose, relegating these aspects to the subjective and potentially illusory, which is incomplete and can lead to dangerous pathologies.

What is the significance of consciousness in the context of this discussion?

Consciousness is significant because it is a major unsolved mystery in science, and it plays a crucial role in the transformation of potential into actuality, which is not well understood despite being recognized for almost a century.

How does the speaker relate the concept of 'phenomena' to the idea of what is real?

The speaker relates 'phenomena' to the idea of what is real by suggesting that things that manifest themselves as meaningful are considered more real. This aligns with the phenomenologist's view that the shining forth of things (phenomena) is more fundamental than their objective existence.

What is the role of meaning in our perception of reality as discussed in the transcript?

In the transcript, meaning is suggested to be more real and important than the objective view of things. Our brains are wired to react to things that have meaning before constructing perceptions of objects, indicating that the meaning of things is more central to our engagement with reality.

Why does the speaker believe that children perceive reality differently from adults?

The speaker believes that children perceive reality differently because their brains are not yet fully developed and thus not as inhibitory, allowing them to be more open to the shining forth of phenomena, experiencing reality more directly and with wonder.

What is the 'round chaos' mentioned in the transcript, and how does it relate to the concept of reality?

The 'round chaos' is an alchemical symbol representing the fundamental substance of the world, a combination of spirit and matter, akin to information. It is seen as the most real thing that precedes the spiritual and material and is what shines forth, aligning with the idea of reality being what manifests itself as interesting and meaningful.

How does the pursuit of what interests us transform us according to the speaker?

According to the speaker, pursuing what interests us leads us through adversity, aligns us with the world, and transforms our internal structure, making us stronger, more durable, and better equipped to bear the conditions of existence without corruption.

What is the ultimate goal of following one's interests as described in the transcript?

The ultimate goal of following one's interests is to transform from a citizen into an individual with integrity, strength, and direction, living more in the real world, and being strong enough to have a meaningful life without falling prey to pathological belief systems.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 The Illusion of Reality and the Role of Consciousness

The speaker introduces the concept that our understanding of reality is limited by our lack of infinite knowledge and the assumptions we make about what is most real. These assumptions influence our life decisions and can lead to significant consequences if they are incorrect or incomplete. The current scientific view of reality is criticized for being incomplete, particularly in its treatment of consciousness and its role in transforming potential into actuality. The speaker suggests that alternative perspectives on reality may offer protection against modern pathologies such as nihilistic hopelessness and dangerous belief systems that have historically led to disastrous outcomes.

05:02

🌟 The Phenomenology of Reality and Childhood Perception

The speaker explores the idea that reality is not just objective matter but also the subjective experiences that shine forth to us, such as meaning and purpose. Phenomenologists argue that what is most meaningful is most real, and the speaker suggests that our brains are wired to react to meaning before forming perceptions of objects. This is exemplified by the way children perceive the world with wonder and how adults can rediscover this openness through relationships with children. The speaker also discusses the narrowing of perception as we become more competent adults, trading broad awareness for focused goals, and the potential for re-engagement with unfiltered reality through genuine love and interest in the world around us.

10:03

👶 Developmental Specialization and the Path to Individuality

The speaker discusses the developmental process of becoming a competent adult, which involves a necessary narrowing of focus and specialization. This process is seen as a form of sacrifice for roles such as being a good parent, partner, or citizen. However, the speaker suggests that there is a higher level of existence beyond these roles, which is the development of individuality. This involves a re-opening of perception and an alignment with genuine life-giving meaning, which is essential for avoiding cynicism, nihilism, and pathological belief systems. The speaker emphasizes the importance of paying attention to what manifests as interesting, as this can guide us towards a more meaningful and integrated existence.

15:05

🔍 Pursuing Interests and Transforming Reality Perception

The speaker emphasizes the importance of following one's interests as a means of engaging with the world and transforming one's perception of reality. By paying attention to what shines forth as interesting, an individual can access real information directly from the world, leading to personal growth and a stronger, more informed self. This pursuit not only helps in achieving established goals but also transforms the nature of those goals as the individual learns and adapts. The speaker suggests that this process of engagement with reality is what makes life worthwhile and provides the strength to bear life's adversities.

20:06

💎 The Journey to Individuality and the Resilience of Belief

In the final paragraph, the speaker concludes that pursuing one's interests will lead to adversity but also through it, transforming the individual into a stronger, more durable self, much like the internal structure of a jewel. This transformation aligns the individual with a deeper reality, providing the strength to withstand life's challenges without succumbing to corruption. The speaker references TS Elliot's idea of exploration leading to a deeper understanding of one's origins and the importance of maintaining a connection with life-giving meaning to avoid pathological belief systems and destruction.

Keywords

💡Real

In the context of the video, 'real' refers to the nature of reality and the concept of what constitutes true existence. It is central to the theme as the speaker discusses different perspectives on reality, including the limitations of our understanding and the impact of our assumptions about what is 'real' on our lives. For example, the script mentions that 'we don't really have infinite knowledge and so we're always making some sets of presuppositions about what's most real.'

💡Presuppositions

Presuppositions are the assumptions or preconceived notions that we hold about the world, which shape our understanding and decisions. The video emphasizes the importance of these assumptions in defining our reality and how they can be incomplete or even dangerous, as they can lead to 'pathologies' in our belief systems. The script warns that 'if you get the assumptions wrong or even if you leave them incomplete, you're going to pay a big price for it.'

💡Consciousness

Consciousness is highlighted as a significant and mysterious aspect of reality that science has yet to fully understand. It is presented as a key element in the transformation of potential into actuality, which is a concept that has been recognized by physicists. The video suggests that our understanding of consciousness is incomplete, which is a critical gap in our knowledge of the structure of being, as stated: 'the main one being, Consciousness we can't account for it at all.'

💡Phenomenology

Phenomenology is a philosophical approach that focuses on the study of phenomena, or the things that appear to us. The video uses phenomenology to argue that what is most meaningful to us is also what is most real. It suggests that our brains are wired to react to meaningful phenomena before constructing perceptions of objects, as illustrated by the example of perceiving a cliff as a 'falling off place' rather than just an object.

💡Nihilism

Nihilism is a philosophical viewpoint that suggests life lacks inherent meaning, purpose, or value. The video discusses how the recognition of a meaningless reality can lead to a 'nihilistic hopelessness,' which is a potential pathology of modern society. This concept is linked to the broader theme of the video, which is the exploration of what gives life meaning and how our assumptions about reality can impact our mental and emotional states.

💡Belief Systems

Belief systems are the sets of beliefs and values that individuals or societies hold. The video discusses how these systems can become pathological, leading to destructive outcomes such as mass movements and even the potential for global annihilation. It emphasizes the importance of having a belief system that is not only coherent but also aligned with a genuine understanding of reality.

💡Individuality

Individuality refers to the unique qualities and characteristics of a person. The video suggests that while we are shaped by our roles as citizens, parents, and partners, there is a higher level of development that involves the cultivation of individuality. This is related to the pursuit of personal interests and the transformative power of genuine engagement with the world, as expressed in the line 'that's the thing that rebuilds how you would be a good citizen.'

💡Interest

Interest, in the video, is portrayed as a guiding force that leads individuals towards meaningful engagement with reality. It is suggested that following one's interests can lead to personal transformation and a deeper understanding of the world. The video states that 'if you notice and you notice that by paying attention to the things that manifest themselves to you that shine forth as interesting, they grab you and where you're grabbed is where the obscuring map you live in isn't obscuring the reality that's underneath it.'

💡Transformation

Transformation is a central theme in the video, referring to the process of change and growth that individuals undergo as they engage with the world and pursue their interests. It is associated with the development of a strong internal structure, similar to a jewel, which enables one to withstand adversity. The video uses the metaphor of the 'resurrection Stone' from Harry Potter to illustrate this concept, suggesting that following what is interesting can lead to a transformation that makes one 'hard and durable.'

💡Pathology

In the context of the video, 'pathology' refers to the harmful or dysfunctional belief systems and behaviors that can arise from a distorted understanding of reality. The script mentions 'pathologies of belief' and 'pathological belief systems' to describe the dangers of adopting belief systems that are not grounded in a genuine understanding of reality, which can lead to destructive outcomes such as mass movements and even the potential for global annihilation.

Highlights

The concept of 'real' is subjective and based on presuppositions that shape our life decisions.

Incomplete cultural assumptions about reality have led to dangerous and costly outcomes.

The scientific view of reality as dead matter without meaning or purpose is challenged.

Consciousness is a central unsolved mystery in the transformation of potential into actuality.

Alternative views of reality can protect us from modern pathologies like nihilistic hopelessness.

Pathological belief systems, born from shattered worldviews, have led to mass atrocities.

Phenomenologists believe that meaningful phenomena are more real than mere objects.

The brain prioritizes meaningful perceptions over objectified perceptions.

Children perceive the world with an openness that adults often lose.

Love and fascination can temporarily lift the barriers of perception, revealing deeper realities.

As adults, we narrow our perceptions to focus on specific goals, losing touch with unfiltered reality.

The development of competence requires specialization but also blindness to broader realities.

Being a good citizen is necessary but not sufficient for a meaningful life.

Individuality and personal development can lead to a re-opening of perception to deeper realities.

Pursuing interests can lead to personal transformation and a more meaningful alignment with reality.

The pursuit of genuine interests can provide the strength to bear life's adversities.

The alchemical concept of 'round chaos' symbolizes the fundamental reality that precedes spirit and matter.

In the Harry Potter series, the game of Quidditch and the Resurrection Stone symbolize the pursuit of deeper meaning.

TS Elliot's poem encapsulates the journey of self-discovery and the alignment with reality.

Transcripts

so I'm going to talk to you today about

a different way of looking at what real

is it's not easy to figure out what real

is because we don't really have infinite

knowledge and so we're always making

some sets of presuppositions about

what's most real and it really matters

what you assume is most real because you

base the decisions that you make that

run the entire course of your life on

those assumptions whether you recognize

it or not and if you get the assumptions

wrong or even if you leave them

incomplete you're going to pay a big

price for

it and uh the assumptions that we use in

our culture although they've enabled us

to develop a tremendously potent

technology are incomplete in ways that

have also cost us and that are extremely

dangerous and since the scientific age

began we've lived in a

universe where the bottom

Strat of reality is considered to be

something that's dead like dirt it's

like it's matter it's objective

it's

external and there isn't any element of

it that lends any reality to phenomena

like meaning or purpose that's all being

relegated to the subjective and in some

ways to the illusory

but it's by no means self-evident that

that set of presuppositions is

correct because we

lack infinite knowledge and there's many

things about the structure of being that

we don't understand the main one being

Consciousness we can't account for it at

all and we can't account for the role it

appears to play in the transformation of

potential into actuality which is a role

that's been recognized by physicists for

almost a hundred years now

and which remains one of the biggest

Unsolved Mysteries in

science there are other ways of looking

at what's

real and these other ways have some

advantages and one of the advantages

they have is that they protect us

knowing these other ways of of operating

within reality defining reality protect

us from certain kinds of pathologies

modern people are prone to a fair number

of pathologies that stem from the

assumptions of their of their of the

systems they use to define reality and

one of those pathologies is uh kind of a

nihilistic hopelessness which is a

consequence of the recognition that in

the final analysis nothing really has

any

meaning and because life is difficult

and that's a meaning that you can't

escape being forced to abandon your

belief in a positive or A Transcendent

meaning can leave you weak at the times

when you really can least afford to be

weak and there's more important

pathologies that it's opened us up to

too and those are pathologies of belief

and I think we saw the most most

horrifying examples of that hopefully

the most horrifying examples in the 20th

century where people whose belief

systems were shattered at least in part

by the competition between religious and

scientific viewpoints turned in large

numbers to mass movements that were in

in every way a substitute a more

rational in some sense substitute for

religious beliefs that appeared no

longer tenable and the consequence of

that was it was just about Annihilation

because we came close to annihilation

twice once in the 60s and once in the

80s and even without the totality of

annihilation we lost hundreds of

millions of people as a consequence of

pathological belief systems in the 20th

century so if belief systems become

pathological they po that pathology can

pose the biggest threat possibly to our

very existence and if you're a darwinian

in any sense you have to understand that

the things that pose the biggest threats

to your survival are the most real

things they have to be dealt

with now here's another way of looking

at

things I'll start with the definition of

this word this word phis thigh is the

root word of phenomena phenomenon and

phenomena are the things that appear to

you and fisy means to shine forth and

the phenomenologists who were interested

in The Shining forth of things made the

presumption that the things that

manifested themselves to you as most

meaningful were the most real things and

I think you can make us strong case that

that's actually how your brain is wired

because your brain is wired to react to

things that have meaning before they

construct the perceptions that you think

of as objects and the reason for that is

because the meaning of things is more

real in some sense but more important

than the view of things as objects and

so for example a

famous philosopher psychologist a vision

said that when you approach a cliff you

don't see a cliff you see a falling off

place it isn't that it's an object Cliff

to which you attribute the meaning of

falling off place too it's the falling

off Place perception comes first and the

abstraction of the objective Cliff if it

ever happens at all comes much later

much later conceptually because even

babies can detect Cliffs and much later

historically poets have noticed this

phenomena shining

forth reality and and they've often

associated with childhood and I think

there's good reasons for that I think

your brain is not so much of an

inhibitory structure when you're a child

before it's fully developed

and so there's there's neurological

reasons for noting it but there's also

reasons that stem from the level of

lived experience you can tell when

you're around children that they're open

to things in a way that adults aren't

they're wide-eyed with Wonder and adults

like being around children for that

reason because although the child takes

an awful lot of care and is a is a a

terrifying object in some ways to behold

if you have a relationship with a child

because they're so vulnerable the part

of the way they pay you back is they

open up your eyes your eyes that have

been closed by your experience and that

have learned to Shield out the things

that shine forth and when you have a

child you can look through the child's

eyes again and to me it's like they're

on fire in a sense they're like a candle

or something that's Burning Brightly and

I think that's also partly because we

actually don't screen out fire we

actually see fire and that's why we

can't not look at it when it's around I

think the same thing happens when you're

in love with someone if it's if it's

genuine love because genuine love gives

you a hint of what could be in the

future if you could just set yourself

right you get a glimpse of what could be

in the future if you fall in love with

someone you don't get that without work

but you get a glimpse of it and I think

it's because when you fall in love and I

believe this is likely a biochemical

transformation is the perceptual

structures that normally stop you from

seeing people because you really don't

see people you just see Shadows they did

the the the the the barriers are lifted

temporarily and what's really there

shines through and it's overwhelming but

to stay in that state well it requires a

tremendous amount of moral effort is

really the right way of thinking about

it Wordsworth said about children there

was a time when Meadow Grove in stream

the Earth and every common sight to me

did seem Apparel in Celestial light the

glory and the freshness of a dream it is

not now as it hath been of your turn

where soever I may by night or day the

things which I have seen I now can see

no

more Earth fills her lap with pleasures

of her own yearnings she hath in her own

natural kind and even with something of

a mother's mind and no unworthy aim the

homely nurse doth all she can to make

her foster child her inmate man forget

the glories he hath known and that

Imperial Palance Palace whence he came

and what woodsworth means by this is

that as you develop as an as a as a

competent adult which which is precisely

the the direction towards which you

should develop much of what you're doing

is actually closing in and narrowing

you're closing in and narrowing towards

a particular goal and a particular way

of being and that's necessary because as

you develop you have to develop towards

a particular way of being or you don't

develop at all and you can't stay a

child

forever that goes that goes sour of its

own accord and so human beings are

destined to close their Perceptions in

to sharpen themselves and to focus on

very little so that they can at least do

that but the price we pay for that is

that we start to replace the

relationship we have with untrammeled

reality with the Shadows that are only

complex enough to let us do what we need

to do and no more and in some sense

although we become more competent in in

other ways we become more blind and we

kind of know how this happens it happens

from the bottom up now this is a mgre

painting and the painting has an obvious

meaning in a sense which is that we're

blinded even to what's right in front of

us by the objects that we see and we

think that

seeing is letting in the light but it's

only letting in a very small fraction of

the light because we're only capable of

contemplating a small fraction of

everything whenever we're doing any

particular thing and so very much of

what we're doing is screening things out

very much of your cortex is

inhibitory and mcre is trying to get at

that with that idea it's like there's a

businessman there he's dressed in his

uniform he can't see beyond the

immediate the immediate thing that's in

front of his eyes how does that happen

well let's say you're a baby the first

thing you learn you learn you build your

body from the bottom up you build your

perceptual and action structures from

the bottom up you learn to move your arm

you learn to close your hand then you

learn to do things that are practical

with those abilities you lift a spoon

while you have to do that to feed

yourself you learn to move a plate you

learn to set the table that's starting

to become social now because you can set

the table for you and for other people

you learn to make a meal that's a more

complex sequencing of motor activities

and perceptual abilities that's very

focused as you continue to develop the

things you chain together become more

and more complex and and but also more

specific you you have to care for your

family which means there's all sorts of

other things you're not doing you have

to find a good job which almost everyone

when they're young experiences as the

contemplation of a limitation well not

everyone but many people think oh no you

know I'm going to have to settle for

this role I don't want to only be that

role but it's better to be that role

than no role at all and maybe the way

through the role to the other side is

through the role not around it there's

no avoiding the responsibility of

narrowing and shaping and specializing

be a good parent well that's the

sacrifice you make for the Next

Generation be a good partner the same

thing be a good citizen it's easy for

young people in particular to be

skeptical of that because the old

Society is always corrupt and archaic

and blind and to become a member of that

seems to be in part to to allow yourself

to adopt that same aged

blindness but that thing also educates

you it shapes every word you speak it's

something that you have to be grateful

to even in its aged and archaic form and

it's part of the necessities of human

responsibility that you become a good

citizen and that means in some sense

giving up more of what could be at least

to sustain what

is is a satirical song from the late

1890s English I am the very model of a

modern major general I've information

vegetable animal and mineral I know the

Kings of England and I quote the fights

historical from Marathon to water in

order categorical and the satire is well

he has the knowledge he's an

official functionary and it's very

difficult to do that but in the same way

it's very limited and categorical and of

course an artist would object to

that but it's better than nothing at all

and that's the

alternative well above that maybe what's

above good citizen because sometimes

good citizen is not so good if you were

a good citizen of Nazi Germany or a good

citizen of the Soviet Union or of ma

China you know you were narrowed in a

particular way

but and then maybe in a necessary way

but also in a very pathological way and

so it seems to be that there has to be

something even though adopting that

restricted Viewpoint is necessary there

has to be something above it and I think

that's also the thing that can restore

the sense you have of a true

entanglement with the the deepest and

most meaningful realities of life and

that's the issue of being a good person

it's above being a citizen it's

something else it has something to do

with the development of individuality

and I think we're also wired for that so

it looks like we're wired to lose what

we had to specialize but then once we're

specialized to reopen once we've got the

skills built into our body and then can

hand handle reality because we're more

adapted and more fluid and more flexible

then we can start opening the doors

again and I and I believe that your

nervous system is setups to help you do

that if you don't interfere with it if

you notice and you notice that by paying

attention to the things that manifest

themselves to you that shine forth as

interesting they grab you and where

you're grabbed is where the obscuring

map you live in isn't obscuring the

reality that's underneath it's like

there's a hole in the map and the light

shines through that and you're attracted

to that and that will pull you along and

that's when your interest is seized by

something that's your nervous system

doing that you don't do that it's it's

an unconscious Force you could even say

it was the world itself talking to you

and the phenomenologists did feel that

way and it's a real phenomenon it's not

a secondary thing and you know that

because you can't live without it you

die you stultify you get cynical you get

nihilistic or you adopt some wild belief

system if you don't have the attachment

to some genuine lifegiving meaning in

your own life and it's a hard thing to

follow that because it doesn't necess

neily put you into perfect juxtaposition

with Society because it's not Society

it's not being a good citizen it's

something else it's also the thing that

rebuilds how you would be a good

citizen the Egyptians knew about this a

long time ago they didn't really know

they

knew because they they acted things out

in drama and portrayed them

mythologically because they didn't have

the capacity to articulate the ideas

fully but the Egyptians worshiped the

human eye and they worshiped the eye

because they knew the eye was was the

thing that paid attention like we're

really visual creatures and your eye is

automatically attracted to the things

that manifest themselves or shine forth

in front of you and you have to look at

them if you pay

attention to the things that shine forth

because what you're seeing is the

reality instead of the map you're

gaining access to the real information

that's in the world it's not prepackaged

information because that can be false

it's the real information flowing out

from the ground of being and if you pay

attention to that it will help you move

towards the goals that you've already

established for yourself as a good

citizen that are that are part of the

inbuilt value structure that you've

adopted but at the same time it will do

something else it will lead you to

transform the nature of those goals

because as you pursue the thing that

guides your interest and more and more

information is revealed then by

absorbing that information which is

learning essentially you build yourself

into a different person a stronger and

more informed person and a and a more a

more intact person a person with more

integrity and with more strength and

with more Direction and at the same time

you differentiate your map and so you're

living more and more in the real world

so as you approach your specific goal

even if it's a culturally conditioned

goal the learning that you do along the

way transforms you and it transforms the

nature of your

goal things shine forth there's a reason

for that and you know that because when

you're attending to something you're

interested in and you're engaged in

that's when you're alive that's when

life is worthwhile it's so worthwhile

that in those moments you don't even ask

the question about it the question

itself goes away because the meaning

that you're United with is so powerful

that it can push back the adversity that

would otherwise characterize life n said

the person who has a why can bear any

howow and and that's a really useful

thing to know because you think well

we're very vulnerable creatures and our

life ends catastrophically and and and

terrible things happen and how can we

bear that and the answer to that is and

always has been that you have to be in

sync with something that's beyond you

because that synchrony gives you the

strength that you need to Bear your

terrible limitations you see this played

out people know this everyone knows this

it's just that our culture isn't good at

articulating it we've lost a lot of this

we haven't developed our knowledge about

this as much as we've developed our

knowledge of the objective world and

we're paying for it you see it in weird

places on the on the right here there's

an old symbol at the bottom it's called

the round chaos and the Alchemists

believe that the round chaos was the

thing that held what was what the world

was ultimately made of the thing that

was most real and they conceptualized it

as something like information they

thought about it as a combination of

spirit and matter and it was a

combination of spirit and matter which

is what information is in a sense

because when you interacted with it you

took some of the information and you

built yourself out of it so that was the

spiritual element and you took took some

of the information and you built the

world out of it and that was the

material element and they thought of the

reality itself as something that

preceded the spiritual and the material

and that that reality was what Shawn

forth and that's been dramatized in in

in Tales modern Tales of transformation

the most interesting place has popped up

is in the Harry Potter stories where

central to the Harry Potter theme is a

game called quidditch and in quidditch

which is a game the way you win the game

is by playing a game that's sort of

outside the quidd game you you win the

quiddit game by finding following this

thing that beckons this golden thing

that glimmers and moves around you if

you catch that then you win the game and

so does your whole team and inside that

is it is the resurrection Stone it's a

it's a diamond it's a it's a jewel the

idea is that if you follow the thing

that manifests itself to you as

interesting it will lead you through

adversity it'll lead you to do things

that are difficult and as that happens

but not be on your capacity because it's

tempered for that what will happen is as

you hit yourself against the world

pursuing what you're interested in

you'll tap yourself into alignment your

molecules your structure internal

structure will become non-contradictory

like the internal structure of a jewel

which is something that reflects light

that makes you hard and

durable and able to Bear the terrible

conditions of existence without becoming

corrupt TS Elliott said something about

this we shall not cease from

exploration and the end of all our

exploring will be to arrive where we

started and to know the place for the

first

time and that's a five line summary of

the

most

remarkable elaboration of the nature of

the relationship between the individual

human consciousness and reality itself

that's ever been penned and and and the

culmination of a of a system of thought

that's been developed over thousands and

thousands of years which we have lost

and cannot properly

articulate follow what you're interested

in it'll take you to adversity and then

through it it'll transform you from a

citizen into an individual and then the

doors will open again and at that point

you're strong enough to have your

life and at that point you're strong

enough not to fall prey to pathological

belief systems and work towards the

destruction of

things thank you