Often we forget or don't realize that our world views are a collection of cultural influences. Our perspectives are influenced and shaped by family, friends, institutions, experiences and media. We often leave little room for the perspectives that don't conform to this picture. When in conflict or simply interacting with others we can often find ourselves in a battle of differing world views where we except those ideals that match our own and disregard the rest. How can we hope to be present with another when all of our emotional space is taken up; when our minds are filled with the perspectives of all those ideals we've been conditioned to believe? Who is speaking through us when we are upset? Is it our father? Does it relate to our childhood experiences?
To be truly available with another while in conflict or otherwise we must be available to ourselves. It helps to examine why it is we believe the way we do, where our perspectives come from and if we truly except them. It helps to listen to the ongoing internal dialogue and pay attention to what we tell ourselves and how we are perceiving our reality. We may be surprised to find out that the voices that continually direct our actions do not belong to us or do not represent the people we wish to be in the world. If this is true we must clear the clutter and make room for new perspectives and new experiences. Only then can we be truly available to others, create our own experiences, collaborate more effectively and listen to people with the empathy they deserve...
Monday, April 26, 2010
Clearing the Clutter
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Culture is truly our Operating System (COS). In my experience with my psychological research and case studies, various modalities (to which the explanation of is indeed fascinating yet would transcend the scope of this response) of temporarily eliminating one's COS allows for new perspectives and ideas to take place, however you see it fit. When you shed your cultural operating system, you stand naked before the inspection of your own psyche. Desmond Morris called it the “naked ape.” And it’s from that position outside the cultural operating system that we can ask real questions about “what does it mean to be human?” or “what kind of circumstance are we caught in?” or "How are my deep-rooted social recipes affecting my communication?" or "why am I caught up in this illusion of certainty and find myself battling with subjective truth?"
ReplyDeleteBecause really to agree or disagree—now we’re having a debate of logic—the most limiting place you can be in consciousness—something is more true than anything else-- “No this is more true, this is more relevant, this is more spiritual to do it this way.” That point of view has to exclude all other possibilities in the universe. This is limitation battling with itself and the only way limitation can exist is in conflict and the only way out of that is through acceptance. In consciousness and awareness, you don’t need to know anything other than what you are. Really, we put too much of the onus on the brain and believe we are the epicenter of the universe.
A good perspective to have in communication is to not get caught up in truth but the activity of breaking down the traces of cultural influence by free associative discussion--sort of a Wittgensteinian discussion or therapy. Our obsession with finding answers, solutions and cures to our difficulties affects the kind of attention we give ourselves and it is itself a source of illusion. We elevate certain kinds of discourse, especially scientific and medical, and make them the paradigm for all difficulties. Within a conflict, for example, we should be nothing more than mirrors in which we see our own thinking with all its deformities. Being told a truth is useless as long as error stands in its way. Wittgenstein said that we must find the path from error to truth and for that we must plunge into the water of doubt again and again. One cannot speak the truth if one has not yet conquered oneself. He also believed we should be thoughtful rather than clever; and to feel rather than to resort to intellectualism. We should reject certainty for favor of exactness of insight. We want to achieve a desired state and go straight for it. Instead of being aware of how the conflicts and contradictions created by confusions in the use of language create problems and despair, we try to force them into a particular pattern to achieve a desired result, to capture one kind of experience and avoid another.
So, liberate yourself from the illusion of culture. Take responsibility for what you think and what you do. Go within and allow your feelings and thoughts a space to settle so you can find out where they come from and be on your first steps toward clearing the clutter!
But, if I liberate myself from the illusion of culture, then I don't get to experience those wonderful moments of "ah ha" when my assumptions unexpectedly prove to be totally false. I like those "I was dead wrong" moments, don't you?
ReplyDeleteBy the way, that's as good as I can do. You guys strained my brain on this discourse.
In my experience, it is the removal of linear thinking, or cultural ideals, social recipes, transcendental signifiers, etc., that create the "ah ha" moments for me. Language as big role in this. I've had some unique group communication experiments that helped me to shed internal intellectualization and keep ideas in front of you as if they were these passing things that go from one person to another. Got some huge "I was dead wrong" moments from that.
ReplyDeleteJustin