Vineeto: It is my guess that those fictitious deities and supernatural beings wouldn’t have the convincing power they have over human feelings if the guilt of being a ‘being’ wasn’t there in each person to begin with. (link)
Andrew: Thank you Vineeto!
I appreciate your time on this topic, as it has been so central to me, even when I didn’t know it was!
This quote above, supports something that has been in my thinking lately, at least it’s a similar insight. That ‘being’ uses ‘morality’ and indeed any ‘value’ system at all, as a tool. the ‘self’ is surviving through the very tools which are “supposedly” keeping it in check!
Yes. Now when you instead of the subtle detachment by calling it ‘being’ or ‘self’ boldly acknowledge that ‘you’ are this very ‘being’ or ‘self’, the sentences would read like this –
[example only]: ‘I’ use morality and any ‘value’ system at all, as a tool. ‘I’ am surviving through the very tools which are “supposedly” keeping ‘me’ in check! [end example].
What this does, it puts the choice right back where it belongs – ‘you’ can now choose to do something about it. You can decide to reduce the dominance of ‘me’ by diminishing malice and sorrow, by becoming more felicitous and innocuous via the actualism method as described. (This Moment of Being Alive)
Andrew: It “seems” that it is keeping us in check, but I suspect that’s only part of it, that it’s intrinsically linked to the ‘self’.
Richard: A social identity is a psychological creation manufactured by society to act as a guardian over the wayward rudimentary self one was born with. All sentient beings are born with a biologically coded instinctive drive for physical survival which, when one is operating and functioning with a group of people, is potentially a danger to the survival of other group members. Hence the need for principles and morals and ethics to regulate the conduct of each person … with appropriate rewards and punishments to ensure compliance.
In a well-meant but ultimately short-sighted effort to prevent gaols from being filled to over-flowing, a social identity – a psychological guardian – is fabricated in an earnest endeavour to prevent the offences from happening in the first place. This ‘guardian’ is programmed with a set of values and charged with the role of acting as a conscience over the wayward self. A conscience is made up of a sure knowledge of what is Right or Wrong and Good or Bad … as determined by each society. By and large this enterprise has proved to be effective – only a small minority of citizens fail to behave in a socially acceptable manner. (Library, Social Identity).
As such the social identity is as much an aspect of ‘you’ as the instinctual passions which the social mores are attempting to curb.
Richard: One can become aware of all the socialisation, of all the conditioning, of all the programming, of all the methods and techniques that were used to control what one finds oneself to be … a wayward ego and compliant soul careering around in confusion and illusion. A ‘mature adult’ is actually a lost, lonely, frightened and cunning psychological entity overlaying a psychic ‘being’. (Library, Social Identity).
However, this suggestion comes with a warning –
Richard: Warning: It is an utterly fundamental proviso that pure intent [garnered from the PCE] be dedicatorily in place – as an overriding/ overarching life-devotional goal which takes absolute precedence over all else – before any such whittling away of the otherwise essential societal/ cultural conditioning be undertaken. [Emphases added]. (Library, Social Identity).
I gave you the whole picture regarding guilt in the last message and this one in order that you can comprehend the origin of your guilt and therefore your beliefs in deities and demons may be understood as a hopeful/ terrifying diversion from the very reason why you experience an unease about being a contingent [non-factual, dependant on inhabiting a flesh-and-blood body] ‘being’. Recognizing these facts allow you take remedial action. I can also recommend Richard, Selected Correspondence, Guilt and Richard, Catalogue, Sin with links to follow for further information.
Andrew: Like you said the gods had an easy time as all the aspects of the ‘self’ where already in place, the highly social, yet immensely ‘selfish’ entity uses all of these inventions, primarily to survive as a ‘self’.
It’s been highlighted recently as certain events which could be called “immoral” (in my upbringings set of rules), and whilst factually harmless, gave me a lot to think about my own “morality”. As I witnessed others live their “morality” and be fine!
I will reread your posts as it is very refreshing to have these feelings linked back to the broader context of “eat or be eaten” fears and aggressions.
Thanks Andrew (link)
It can certainly help you in being more kind to yourself.
Cheers Vineeto