275. A Sense Of Truth

In the end, language always fails. No matter how many words we use, no matter how we arrange them, no matter how much time we take, we cannot fully capture our experience. The best we can hope for is the transcending power of metaphor — that our words will somehow provoke a feeling close to the feeling of the actual experience.

Language is most powerful when it exceeds its ordinary boundaries. It does this through metaphors that take us to a place that each word on its own cannot reach. Here, the usual meanings of words give way to another kind of meaning that is deeply felt. It is only here that we might be moved towards a new way of seeing and being.

274. Talking To Myself

There are many ways to expand my awareness. I can look out at the world around me and explore its contents and the connections between them. I can witness the actions of other people, consider their feelings and motivations, and listen to the stories they tell about their experiences. I can seek out the creations of humanity — the art and writing that speaks to our shared experience.

I can also look inwards at the self and explore my own feelings, thoughts, memories, and imaginings. I can investigate the sources of my desires, aversions, and beliefs. I can reflect on my own experiences of suffering and joy and try to locate their roots. Even in total isolation from the outside world, I always have access to the endless fountain of awareness that is the self.

273. Out Of Time

Another day, another defeat. Despite trying relentlessly to get somewhere, I’m stuck where I started. And it’s impossible to know if the situation will improve. Tomorrow looms before me in my mind, and I can’t say with any certainty that it will be better than today. The prognosis feels bleak.

The problem is that I’m running out of time. There are so many things I want to do, and I feel I need do all of them. But my time is finite. Days are passing and once they pass they’re gone forever. At the same time, not every day is as bad as today, and I have made some limited progress over the weeks and months. But is that really enough?

272. When We Cannot Know

After something has gone horribly wrong, we want to make sure it won’t happen again. We start looking around for explanations and we consider each possibility carefully, exploring all of the factors that might have led to the disaster.

In most cases, we eventually figure out what caused the problem and we fix it. But when some of the causes were human beings, this might not be possible. What we want then is to understand why the people involved acted in the ways they did, so that we can prevent future harm through education, incentives, or better rules.

271. Good And Bad

The world of our experience is not uniform but filled with differences. We perceive many of these differences and take note of them. This looks more round than that. This feels smoother than that. This sounds higher pitched than that. This tastes sweeter than that. This smells more floral than that. We are obsessed with differences, and we form categories to group similar objects together based on the differences we perceive.

270. Unwanted Conclusions

You are watching a film and you have become engrossed in its story. The plot is exciting, the characters are compelling, and the stakes feel significant.

Your attention is mostly on the film itself, but you’re also thinking about what you’re seeing and hearing. You cannot stop yourself from thinking any more than you can stop yourself from feeling. Thoughts and feelings simply arise when they must.

One of the things you’re thinking about is the approaching conclusion of the film. You think you can see where the story is going — to a place where the protagonists have overcome their difficulties. You’ve developed this expectation partly because of other films you’ve seen, but also because you want it to come true. You care about the characters and you want to witness their success.

269. Making Meaning

You’ve found meaning in a particular idea. It feels valuable and important to you. You tell me about your idea and the meaning you’ve found in it. I listen carefully to your words, but I do not share in your conclusion. I cannot see the meaning of your idea. For me, the story you’ve crafted around it doesn’t seem real or plausible.

I tell you about my doubts, supplying what I believe to be a convincing argument against your idea and its meaning. I do this because I want you to be free from delusion. I want you to see the reality of your idea as I do.

268. A Drastic Change

He finally managed to get away from it all. To be free from everything and everyone. He has two weeks in another world. He feels loose and playful. He suddenly has so much time on his hands, and he finds himself imagining all of the things he could do on his trip.

But instead of actually doing any of it, he decides to do nothing at all. He wants to enjoy the rest and relaxation he has earned. Even so, his mind continues to work. He discovers that he has interesting thoughts and ideas that he didn’t seem to have before. He begins to carry a notebook with him wherever he goes, writing everything down and making plans for his return.

267. Rational Motivation

When I have a reason to do something, I’m more likely to do it than another thing I don’t have any reason to do. But often there will be several things that I have at least one reason to do, and I’ll be forced to make a choice about which reason takes priority.

I might then appeal to a hierarchy of reasons to figure out which reason is most important according to my values or beliefs. Depending on the ordering of this hierarchy, I may or may not do the thing that is best in this moment. This matters most when one of the competing reasons is a moral reason. If I choose something other than the morally best option then it seems I’ve failed to be motivated in the right way. I end up doing something other than what I ought to do.