Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Don't be a tool

In his book "The Simple Feeling of Being", Ken Wilber quotes someone as saying that anything you cannot experience while in a deep dreamless sleep is not Real. If you read back a few posts, this makes sense. Experiencing Oneness is basically what we do when we are in a deep dreamless sleep at night. Oneness is the basis of Reality.

I take this a step further. Anything that you DO experience when you are NOT in a deep dreamless sleep is a tool. Your emotions are tools. Your mind is a tool. Your ego is a tool. All of these things are tools to get you through existence. Don't become enamored with your tools and forget that you are the user, not the tool.

I can only illustrate this with a ridiculous skit between a Plumber and a Teacher:

Plumber: *holds up a wrench* This wrench is awesome! It does everything! There's nothing this wrench can't do! I AM this wrench! I can fix anything! Just watch me!

Teacher: Dude, you're a Plumber.

Plumber: What? Nonsense. I'm a wrench. You some kinda idiot?

Teacher: You aren't a wrench. You just think you are one, but you are really a Plumber holding a wrench.

Plumber: Blasphemy! Man, you are so deluded. There's no Plumber. There's just me: this wrench. I can do anything, fix anything, be anything I want. Sure, there are other wrenches out there, and I like some of them, but I'm the best wrench.

Teacher: Trust me. I used to think I was an opaque projector, but then I realized my mistake. You are not a wrench.

Plumber: Get outta here. You're an opaque projector? I hate those things. They think they're such good wrenches.

Teacher: *sighs* Listen, not only are you a Plumber, but you are a part of a larger organization of Plumbers, called a Guild. That Guild is in turn contained by and part of a larger Society, which is in turn contained by a World, a Galaxy, a Universe. Your wrench is a vehicle by which you, and your guild, fix pipes for Society, which ultimately benefits the Universe, if you think about it.

Plumber: You are a raving lunatic! I am a wrench and there's nothing you can tell me to change that! Now you better leave before I bust you one!


Need I say more?

Don't be a tool. The world is full of tools these days.

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