User Profile

WE KNOW EVERYTHING AND UNDERSTAND NOTHING.
Do we?

Nothing is wrong with this...

Who are we, who were we, and who will we become?

Why is it this way?...
Someone sees a group of people. Immedietly that person indentifies the group as people he does not know and is not friends with. He look closer at their age, haircuts, clothes, and body language. He starts to assemble ideas about them and what they enjoy, based on what he sees. He does not look at people based on who they are, he looks at people based on what they like and dislike. He does not consider the quality of someone's character, but instead the quality of someone's particular knowledge and how it relates to his own. He begins with comparing his own prefernces with what he assumes are theirs. He realizes that some of what they like might be similar to his own tastes, but because he is not already friends with them he assumes that their appreciation for those same things is flawed. He likes it for the right reasons, and they are faking it. He is cool, and they only wish to be cool. In fact, he actually begins to deny his own preferences in fear that they could actually be similar to theirs. He convinces himself that he "used" to like those things, or that he "never really liked it that much". He goes further and determines that anything they like is fake and even if they happen to know about the same things, he possesses a vast wealth of interests that they could never like, or even know about. He is sure that if he was to tell them what he's interested in they'ld probably just stand there and look confused, because they could never know about the "real" stuff that he knows about. He has continuously made efforts to seek out and horde the smallest and most obscure elements of life, in hopes that he can build a completlely unique identity around a set of preferences and aesthetics so cryptic and pointless that anyone else would be dumbfounded at the attempt - which is exactly his mission. And, in a heartbeat he is ready to throw out those same things that he was once so passionate about - as soon as others take some liking to them. As much as he claims to commit to his views, he is the first to abandon them when they become popular. When the other people that he so often complains about actually gravitate towards his protected sphere he will turn and run, for the last thing he wants is to give them what he has. He is the epitome of selfeshness. He has decided to intentionally avoid anything that is loved by many people. He prefers to adhere to things that most people don't like or don't even know about. He feels that the effort he puts into constantly adjusting his taste justifies his contempt for those that blindly follow what they love. He does not look for visceral satisfaction or true enjoyment in things, but instead a cheap self-righteous sense that his way is the only way. He contends that what he likes and dislikes is right and true, and is quick to dismiss other views as stupid and wrong. As much as he laments about the state of other peoples lives, he does little to repair the situation - instead he delves further into a self imposed solitary search for false virtue, and uses every opportunity to whine, degrade, and mock others. And as though he may speak like he wishes everyone would listen, he usually will only talk just loud enough to prick the ears of the most careful listener, only then to deny them any reward for their curiosity.
Finally, through careful planning, he is sure to leave himself plenty of escape routes, should someone call him on his own game. In the event that someone points out how unfair, pesimistic, cowardly, hopeless, weak and just down-right unfriendly he is, he is ready for a quick change of position, and he readily assumes the attitude of knowing about everything but not really liking anything. This angle provides him with an endless array of escape options should someone challenge the things he likes. At times like this he feels that he is above truly loving something, he is simply an observer - an educated and particularly refined individual who prefers merely to provide commentary on the pursuits of everyone else. In fact, he lacks the strength to live in the wide open world. But he can change...

If he knows so much about these people, why can he not just let them be? If he knows everything then why does he understand nothing? Why does he not understand that the very reasons that he does not like these things, are the SAME reasons that he should understand these things? Why can he not see that people are just trying to be happy? And not everyone knows exactly the right way to be happy all the time. Maybe they haven't grown up with supportive people that gave them everything they ever wanted and supported every idea. Maybe they did not live in a town or city that provided them with unique opportunities to learn and discover. Maybe they were not surrounded by peers and teachers that could show them new things. Maybe they are just discovering them now. Maybe they haven't been so privledged to have all that you have had, seen all that you have seen, and known all that you have known, and maybe instead of giving them a hard time, you could give them some of what you know. Share with them the things that you think are interesting - not with hopes of making them more like you, but just to give them some of the same opportunities and benefits that you were given. And maybe instead of holding back and keeping what you like private you can let them see it and experience it. And instead of criticizing and destroying you can encourage and build. If they play in a band and you think that the music they make is bad, or they listen to songs that you think suck - well, maybe they didn't have people to play them those cool songs you like, maybe they lived in a house where all the had was a T.V. and a radio. Maybe they didn't go to a school where there were cool bands playing concerts. Maybe just now they are finding out about music. And are you going to try to make them feel bad about it? What if you were them? What would you want someone to do for you? Introduce you to something? Help you in some way? Do anything at all that would lead to more and better things?
If they don't work at as good a job as you do - maybe they didn't have the money or the ability to get as high of an education as you. Maybe they decided that they wanted to pursue something more risky, and maybe it didn't work out. Maybe they've spent the majority of their lives battling hardships that you can only imagine. Maybe they value different things over profession, such as being a good mother or wife or member of society. Because you have a bigger house, does that make you better? Is the time you spend away pursuing a career and "providing" FOR your family better than spending time WITH your family? Because you can afford to spend, can you also afford to give? Some people decide to forgo empty comforts in exchange for the real comfort of knowing that they are directly responsible for good in the world.
Maybe they are doing the best they can with what they know. Maybe they are not doing something as unusual, or important, or valuable, or high-powered, or smart, or beautiful, or fancy, or exciting as you, but at least they're trying. You are no better than they are, you just have different things, experiences, ideas, friends - different lives. And if you can identify their problems then you can also understand them, and more importantly your own. That is compassion. That is for everyone. Including me.

We do not need to be at odds with the world. What job you have, what house you live in, what car you drive, what town you come from, what you look like, what you wear, what you listen to... those things do not count for everything. What counts most is how you treat people and how you make people feel. Do you think you are a good person? That is the center. The rest is the color around the edges, but with nothing at its center it is empty.

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