To me, it is the one thing I pride myself on above anything else. To think, to question, to wonder without limits or prejudice, a free thinker, not bound by preconceptions or guide lines, to ponder the wonders of the universe and marvel at the beauty we unfold.
A lone bird watches another from inside a glass box. He watches as the bird soars high into the crisp, blue sky flying wherever it chooses.
As he descends, the bird inside the glass box asks "Why do you fly outside the box? I am safe in here".
The second bird replies; "That is the difference between you and I. You may be safe, but I am free."
I don't recall where, or when I heard that little story, but its always struck a chord with me. It is a great shame for those people inside the box. I pity those who do not share my passion. Those that feel safe inside their boxes, but never get to feel the freedom of thought that I do. They will never get to gaze at the wonders of our existence and be astonished by the beauty of it. The beauty of reality.
While they may go home, and feel safe, thinking about whatever it is that comforts them, a higher power, an afterlife, a guiding presence, a meaning to this chaotic universe, it is in the end, pointless.
People long for the magic "meaning of life". The ironic thing being, those that say they've found it, usually religious people, havnt found anything at all. All they have is a shaky, murky illusion.
Where is the meaning in an illusion? It may be comforting, even captivating, but no matter how secure you find it, it's not real. Why would you choose a meaningless mirage over the truth?
The truth gives us answers, it quells our appetite, gives us a conclusion to it, gives us true meaning. Trying to use a higher, unexplainable being doesn't give us any answers. The age old quote of "[insert deity here] made it that way" is not an explanation, how can it be when it cannot explain how they did it? Would you say a question was answered if they said "because that's how it is"? No, because it's not an explanation, it's a meaningless tautology. "It's that way because that's the way it is".
This is my personal problem with religions and it's the root of my gripe with a lot of people. I understand that I may come off as condecending at times, but I don't mean too. The reason I am like this, is because it frustrates me to the back teeth that people can just accept things without any thought of their own. You shouldn't just accept things, you have to engage your brain and think about it, question it, because otherwise you are a sheep. Nothing more. You accept things, follow blindly and never open your eyes to everything around you.
I don't want people to believe everything I tell them, that's not the point of it. the point of this blog, as well as most debates I end up in, is to get people to think about things more. All I ask is that people question things, do a little research and think.
To try and dial out my perceived arrogance on this blog, the title will be changed to simply "Think", as that is what I want to get people to do.
I will also be dropping the "why x is wrong" style blog titles as I don't like them myself but wanted to start off my blog with trying to get my point across.
Anyway, back to thinking. Last year, I had my first tattoo. After being inspired by a design I had seen on the Internet, I drew it up, took it in and had it done. The tattoo is 3 chemical symbols, as found on a periodic table of elements. The elements are Thorium, Indium and Potassium. In their symbol form, when put next to each other, they spell out the word "Think".
"A man who does not think for himself, does not think at all." - Oscar Wilde
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