Spoon boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth.
Neo:            What truth?
Spoon boy: There is no spoon.
Neo:            There is no spoon?
Spoon boy: Then you'll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.

 

It is important to me to share my thoughts and new discoveries with people... but that has often proven to be difficult!  I find myself trying to share important concepts that people find difficult to accept, or have no interest in.  Why not chat about something?  Why not learn something new?  I attribute this to the Matrix effect.

Like the movie Matrix, each person's mind (as is mine) is in it's own reality, or Matrix.  Each person has experiences or gains 'knowledge' that incrementally builds their world view.... in a very individual way.  Ideas (memes) are introduced (often by design) from society, the media, religion, science, other individuals, or personal experience.

Therein lies the problem.... each person's conceptual reality (and ability to perceive) is formed from many sources, and each collection of memes is different. That conceptual 'matrix' stops at the end of each string of 'knowledge'.  For most people, whatever they believe has to be true, anything contrary to those beliefs is wrong, and the universe doesn't exist beyond those boundaries!

I can hear it now (and often have)... "What makes you right, and me wrong?!"

Well... a discussion shouldn't be reduced to just right or wrong (subjective at best).... it's about what makes the most sense based on an individual's accumulated 'knowledge'... and whether they are willing to accept something new.  You can never 'win' an argument based on right or wrong.. whom ever is the most stubborn will 'win', and closed minded people can be REALLY stubborn!  You always lose when you pass up a chance to learn something.

And, if you recognize that not all opinions weigh the same, you might learn something.

Apparently most people don't see it, but human knowledge is growing by leaps and bounds, and that growth is accelerating logarithmically.  And, each new discovery creates more questions than answers!  Why close your mind to the incredible beauty of a constantly expanding galaxy of knowledge?  Why not cherish each new discovery?  Why not revere the exploration of this unfathomably immense universe?  To choose not to know is both sad and scary!

The Brain at kurzweilai.net is a tiny taste of the vast knowledge that exists, in an elegantly made, dynamic interface.  To navigate 'The Brain', just click on any subject in the linked matrix, and enjoy!    (To start building your own PersonalBrain, click here)

Kurzweil's site is devoted to A.I. and the coming Singularity, and those both relate directly to our current existence!

Let me explain why I've been putting quotes on 'knowledge':

There are many fundamental truths in our collective reality.  A great many things are hard facts, known beyond a doubt.  True Knowledge is not whatever a person wants to believe, but facts confirmed by repetitive, empirical, and falsifiable data.  This is the scientific method.  Often, hard facts force a person to revaluate how they perceive reality!

Regardless of the hard facts, if you don't understand (or trust) a source, a method of reasoning, or a person, you will not learn.  And, since you can't track down every new idea and prove it for yourself... you need a rational basis for honest and critical examination of a source or ideology.  Only once you can separate the facts from the BS, is your mind free to learn!   Unfortunately, most people don't critically examine ideas... they want to believe something, so it's 'proven' to them!

If a person can't conceive of a new idea, they assume you are wrong.  Reality truly is a personal 'construct' that differs from one person to another.  The problem arises from people unwilling to accept there is True Knowledge they don't have... so they quickly reduce a discussion to right or wrong, because they don't want to accept something contrary to their beliefs.

It's a cheap and often used debating tool to give an idea validity by claiming "my idea is just as good as yours"... even if there are fundamental flaws in their logic or knowledge!  Of course, the incorrect assumption and implication is that everyone is as clueless as they are.  So, when you can't change their perception in a quick conversation (impossible), they go away thinking they proved they are "right".  

If you want to prove it to yourself... just start a conversation about Religion or Politics!  Everyone thinks their religion  or political party is the best one!

To put it succinctly: not all opinions weigh the same.

A good article about shining a light in the Darkness of Ignorance:

The Gradual Illumination of the Mind

Excellent explanations of why people are superstitious:

God part of the Brain

Paranormal beliefs linked to brain chemistry

One good example (unfortunately) of how people can ignore overwhelming evidence:

A totally unexpected concept I ran headlong into is .... that evolution didn't happen!  I've had personal conversations with people who truly believe the world is only a few thousand years old, people used to live to be hundreds of years old, and evolution is only an unproven theory!  An incredible resistance to True Knowledge!

You say evolution is ONLY a theory?  You are SO Wrong!

I wonder how they ignore the discoveries inside the human genome?  Or handle the recent dawning of the Nanotechnology Age?  Just deny it with no justification.... as usual.  As I said... an unfortunately pervasive example.

So, if you try to introduce a new concept, or stretch an old concept with new knowledge... people usually reject it.  They don't believe it, or even want to hear about it!  Their matrix has hardened, and is difficult to grow.  As to why, I don't know... only that it kills an exchange of ideas and knowledge!

This is why I explained my Matrix theory first... so you'll understand that I am open minded, and eager for a good conversation!  And I really enjoy finding those few people who like new ideas!

How about you?

Do you want to share ideas?

  There is so much to learn about the Universe, and we Humans know so little.

Let's help each other learn!

Free Your Mind

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