I think that your point about sacerdotalism surviving, in one form or another, and that we are now all our own astrologers is true and not true.
In the Electronic Starfield, the priests, 'wise elders' and seers of another age are now called influencers, content creators or online commentators. Even in our personalised blue light hallucinations, it seems we cannot help but find ourselves siloed into in-groups with someone helping us interpret the dots.
I wonder if deferring to the interpreters of this novel constellation adds another layer that makes it that much harder for us to see the role we play in our own self-deception. When they are wrong, or disconfirm a position we want to hold, then the fault is theirs. The algorithms will simply direct us to a new prophet, all too happy to confirm what we want to see in the dazzling overillumination.
Yep, too much information is certainly detrimental to the sane decision making, and it’s been a while we are there.
One can find an idea, opinion or theory on the internet to support whatever it is one believes. And hence, rather than being enlightened, most people are bound to have their delusions strengthened as they consume more and more information.
L’analogie avec les étoiles est très bien vue. Personnellement cet amas d’étoiles me donnent le vertige 😵💫 . Au lieu de renforcer mes biais à la lecture de divers contes, je finis par ne plus en croire aucun et en même temps à tous les accepter. Je garde malgré tout mes valeurs et « mes » vérités, mais un peu comme un agnostique, et j’ai du mal à trancher. Les faits sont les faits mais les interprétations, les raisons et les conséquences sont innombrables dans de nombreux cas!
Peut-être parce que je suis du signe zodiacal de la balance😅
Can’t help but compare this with Cambrian Explosion. Oxygen infusion and other life-promoting events caused so many life forms to come about so quickly.
Maybe, if we liken thought schools and entire cultures to living entities, this is what we are facing indeed: unchecked proliferation of new species, that occupy every corner of the newfound ecosystem (human mind) and that they are now fighting to survive. Some will be too infectious and will destroy or enfeeble the host, losing the grip. Some will persist and survive long term.
Additional twist is that biology is no longer the only host possible — we are busy inventing silicon ones, which in turn may create even mote complex hosts.
It is coagulated consciousness that is trying to survive, after all. Humans are so very small. 🥺
Wow, you make your "logical arguments" so gently. I would have had a hard time digesting "the simple stories we intuitively tell ourselves are but mere mythology", but in the sequence of things you shared, it seems only natural.
I like this article because it aligns with my beliefs. I would like to read more articles just like this... I really do like the turn apophenia even better than appophobia. I will have to find a way to use that.
Of course! There are influencers and influencers: those who have an agenda to point the influenced towards whichever (un)worthy goal that monetizes their influence; and those who - like yourself, perhaps - who would rather point people in the direction of an enhanced understanding of how they know what they know and believe what they believe. So equipped, they are better placed to make a contribution to whatever social groups they participate in.
>looked for clues to such riddles in the enigmatic patterns of nature, from half-intelligible words whispered by wind through trees, to faces sporadically appearing in clouds.
A long tradition carried over by academia of hastily rejecting the null hypotheses of things being just random noise.
Incredible article and concept. Needs to be seen by more people! Love your stuff! I've nearly read it all at this point.
I think that your point about sacerdotalism surviving, in one form or another, and that we are now all our own astrologers is true and not true.
In the Electronic Starfield, the priests, 'wise elders' and seers of another age are now called influencers, content creators or online commentators. Even in our personalised blue light hallucinations, it seems we cannot help but find ourselves siloed into in-groups with someone helping us interpret the dots.
I wonder if deferring to the interpreters of this novel constellation adds another layer that makes it that much harder for us to see the role we play in our own self-deception. When they are wrong, or disconfirm a position we want to hold, then the fault is theirs. The algorithms will simply direct us to a new prophet, all too happy to confirm what we want to see in the dazzling overillumination.
Good article. Thanks!
Yep, too much information is certainly detrimental to the sane decision making, and it’s been a while we are there.
One can find an idea, opinion or theory on the internet to support whatever it is one believes. And hence, rather than being enlightened, most people are bound to have their delusions strengthened as they consume more and more information.
Truth is ever more elusive today.
L’analogie avec les étoiles est très bien vue. Personnellement cet amas d’étoiles me donnent le vertige 😵💫 . Au lieu de renforcer mes biais à la lecture de divers contes, je finis par ne plus en croire aucun et en même temps à tous les accepter. Je garde malgré tout mes valeurs et « mes » vérités, mais un peu comme un agnostique, et j’ai du mal à trancher. Les faits sont les faits mais les interprétations, les raisons et les conséquences sont innombrables dans de nombreux cas!
Peut-être parce que je suis du signe zodiacal de la balance😅
Thank you, you make a good job!
Steph
Can’t help but compare this with Cambrian Explosion. Oxygen infusion and other life-promoting events caused so many life forms to come about so quickly.
Maybe, if we liken thought schools and entire cultures to living entities, this is what we are facing indeed: unchecked proliferation of new species, that occupy every corner of the newfound ecosystem (human mind) and that they are now fighting to survive. Some will be too infectious and will destroy or enfeeble the host, losing the grip. Some will persist and survive long term.
Additional twist is that biology is no longer the only host possible — we are busy inventing silicon ones, which in turn may create even mote complex hosts.
It is coagulated consciousness that is trying to survive, after all. Humans are so very small. 🥺
Wow, you make your "logical arguments" so gently. I would have had a hard time digesting "the simple stories we intuitively tell ourselves are but mere mythology", but in the sequence of things you shared, it seems only natural.
Thanks for sharing, Gurwinder.
I like this article because it aligns with my beliefs. I would like to read more articles just like this... I really do like the turn apophenia even better than appophobia. I will have to find a way to use that.
How do you even conjure up these set of thoughts to come up with a piece like this is beyond me. You actually reinforce my imposter syndrome!!!
What a beautiful piece Gurwinder!! You outshine yourself every time you sit down to write ……
Of course! There are influencers and influencers: those who have an agenda to point the influenced towards whichever (un)worthy goal that monetizes their influence; and those who - like yourself, perhaps - who would rather point people in the direction of an enhanced understanding of how they know what they know and believe what they believe. So equipped, they are better placed to make a contribution to whatever social groups they participate in.
>looked for clues to such riddles in the enigmatic patterns of nature, from half-intelligible words whispered by wind through trees, to faces sporadically appearing in clouds.
A long tradition carried over by academia of hastily rejecting the null hypotheses of things being just random noise.