"What To Do When Things Just Don't Make Sense"
~ sit on my lap and hear my gentle words
I wrote recently a piece that ended with "It just don't make sense." It was about a t.v. commercial, watched by several thousands persons, promising to reveal "little-known facts." If they all tuned into the show, would those facts still be little-known? So that commercial should run just once. Pretty soon all those unknowns will be known; that will be the end of all the mystery. But, no. There have probably been these commercials for years. Something is up.
One thing we seldom take proper note of is that in order to know more or make a better life or live a grade above you need to turn away from what everyone is doing. Therefore, turn away from the mass, not towards it. So it is not surprising that the damn t.v. tempts us with "little-known," for that has a certain cache' to it. That is true. But to learn what is little-known you would not use the damn t.v., that isn't how you do it.
This makes me wonder whether persons care if stuff makes sense or not? I do not think so.
The foregoing has now inevitably brought us to the topic of a book I just bought, which purchase tanspired due to mt having gone to a little-know thrift store. It is next to the Save-A-Lot on N. 34th Street at approx. 30th Ave. It is called "As a Man Thinketh." I bought it because it is a classic. It is on the in-house Barnes and Noble book label. I was pretty sure I had done heard of this tome elsewhere. Opening to the first page, I read: "Throughout his life, James Allen (1864-1912) sought an oasis of tranquility..." So this is how you discover "little-known facts." You go on retreat and discover an island of tranquility. This shows us: finding "little-known facts" is not something you would do by watching commercials on television (even, alas, Spectrum9, St. Pete).
So that's just the Preface by Lois Hill, dated and located: New York, 1992. Well New York is a great place but we gots ta move on now. So get ready because we gonna jump ahead. But first this...
The message is not all that different from what the Dalai Lama says on Facebook. You have the power to tame your mind. You can bring yourself under control. Once that is tamed and brought under some kind of control, then you can improve yourself. Allen says this gives the person some power to bring the "winds and storms of the soul" under control. That is the basic philosophy, right in the Preface.
In other words you turn the t.v off. Why would you get what you need from the t.v? Why do we even think we will--? ~ for, alas, the whole thing is a scam. So I am getting at a bigger question here, aren't I?
The question is that of why we go to the same people who are always lying to us to get at the truth? That would seem stupid wouldn't it? You can do better, after all. It is a society where a person can buy almost any book. I used the thrift store on 34th St. You can get there on the bus. Why do we not actively search out the good things instead of going with mainstream advertising? It is as if we are afraid to turn away from society's gibberish bullshit.
And of course, that makes sense. Because -- if you turned away from the programming they force on you, they might not -HORRORS! -givie you you a job. Certainly you would also not be able to start a business ripping everyone off. So, yeah -- if you think for yourself or find an oasis of tranquility you won't get the Doritos or the cheap thrill of having a job or of being able to buy Little Debbies snacks with pink frosting.
But if I were to ask you, "which way of life do you like better," you would say the life of tranquility and taming of the mind -- which would allow you to discover little-known truths. The problem is then you might not get any more barbeque potato chips.
Huh? But that don't make sense. Now do it?
-------------------*
As A Man Thinketh