Human Complexity
A lattice maze of steel flower pot holders hawked by a street vendor during the weekly Gaya Street Tamu (market). Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
No matter how much we have achieved in terms of civilization or sciences, how we learnt to split the atom, of viewing galaxies light years away from us so much so that no one can reach it in their lifetime, to built the most magnificant structures that inspires awe and wonder and to garb ourselves with ever more sophisticated technologies to suit our lifestyle, the most complex item itself is humanity. We can bring ourselves to greater understanding of our surroundings yet we somehow shy away from understanding ourselves, as if looking inwards we are afraid that we might find a mirror that reflect all that we do not wish to see, of being shown realities we rather obscure in fantasies. We have the capacity to care yet we don't always exercise it, we have the drive to grow and to better ourselves yet many of us squander it, we have the reasoning and logic to retain peace yet many chose instead the path of destruction. To solve the human condition we have to look into ourselves first and foremost, we cannot understand the human compulsion by studying theories and mathematical calculations, because at the engine of humanity is not only our brains with it's intelect, logic and cognition but also our hearts, full of spirit, hope, drive and feelings, and that is harder to quantity and equate, yet it is one of the most powerful of all forces with the ability to lead to good or to evil.
1 comment:
There are certain tendencies, mental stances that you will take about yourself, your body and your life to one degree or another. Many of these will be directly or indirectly connected with old myths and beliefs of your forefathers. Your ideas of good and evil are highly important for instance. Few can escape putting value judgments in these areas.
Your scientific beliefs tell you that your entire world happened accidentally. Your religions tell you that man is sinful....A generalized fear and suspicion is generated, and life too often becomes stripped of any heroic qualities.
Quite simply, a belief in the good without a belief in the evil may seem highly unrealistic to you. This belief, however, is the best kind of insurance that you can have, both during physical life and afterwards.
It may outrage your intellect, and the evidence of your physical senses may shout that it is untrue, yet a belief in good without a belief in evil is actually highly realistic.
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