The following are the texts of three essays. Each line that starts with a percent sign is called a TITLE. Words in TITLES are regarded as KEYWORDS and are used in searching for essays which deal with topics suggested by the KEYWORDS individually and in combination. The digits at the end of the TITLES indicate the day they were written, according the the convention yymmdd meaning year/month/day. Essays may have multiple TITLE lines in sequence before the texts of the essays --- to accommodate words pointing to the multiple topics referenced or alluded to in the essay.
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Insight and understanding sometimes come in a flash without words, and can be articulated in words only with great care and patience. Insight may come from, and/or with, the image of a real/imaginary mentor being and acting in a novel new way. Such imagery can inspire new hope in new possibilities regarding the ways in which humans may be true to themselves and to each other with integrity. Traditional and often disintegrative ways of being and relating are not the only possibilities.
It has been said, "seek and ye shall find." New flashes of insight come to those who prepare to receive new insights with tender-loving-care and patience. New insights may threaten old, traditional and often disintegrative ways; undermining collusions which seek to repress such flashes of insight. Flashes of insight break thorough the cracks of collusions and old cosmic eggs.
Being with a person of integrity can occasion a flash of insight. Being with a person of integrity can occasion an insight which cannot be taught or expressed with words, or techniques of other formal forms. New insights are not essentially verbal in nature and often do not yield to verbal ensymbolment without distortion. Ensymbolments of such insights do not contain the full insight, nor do they represent such insights with full fidelity. Incarnations cannot be reduced to strings of words without doing violence to the incarnations.
© 1997 by Paul A. Smith
There are many kinds of motivations which energize and guide human behavior:
CURIOSITY about places, people, relationships, experiences, ideas, etc.
PREOCCUPATION with achievement, attainment, completion, consummation of some cognitive goal or plan.
WORKING - OUT of some emotional drive.
Expression of basic human instincts.
Drive to re-experience some previous experience.
An exclusive fixation/preoccupation/addiction.
Fear, apprehension, paranoia, anxiety, etc.
To deal wisely with each kind of motivation may require a recognition of which kind of motivation one is dealing with. The effective way to deal with one kind of motivation may be tragically misguided in seeking to deal with another kind of motivation.
Some kinds of motivation are prone to be tragically disintegrative in most situations and may be prone to elicit responses which are tragically misguided and disintegrative.
If we are unfamiliar with, do not recognize, and do not know how to respond creatively to disintegrative kinds of motivations; we are prone to react to them in disintegrative ways. If we do not openly and honestly name, describe and talk about our motivations, we are unlikely to be able to deal creatively with them.
There are many particular examples of the above descriptions. We will do well and be well when we have given those particular examples careful attention and clearly articulated our experiences related to them.
© 1997 by Paul A. Smith
If we are to become aware of our involvement in the collusions which surround us---we must spend quiet times in solitary meditation, relaxation, reflection, reflexive sensitivity and prayer called by whatever name(s) leave us most comfortable in being true to ourselves so we can be true to each other.
The more intensely and deeply we keep immersed in the collusive games of mutual self-deception of those around us---the more impossible it is for us to detach from their dishonesty to be free to see clearly how they lack integrity, coherence, health and survival value. They are collusive games of mutual self-deception.
True prophets are people who detach from the collusive games of mutual self-deception of their communities and receive the courage to speak truth to power; telling the politically powerful leaders the truths which they persistently want to ignore.
True prophets can anticipate the consequences of their communities' collusive games of mutual self-deception because they detach from their dishonesty and see clearly how the games and those who play them lack integrity, coherence, health and survival value.
The transcendence of collusive games of mutual self-deception is not a technical accomplishment; for games of mutual self-deception are dishonest technological games---pretending that through the use of technologies we can "solve" those dilemmas which we persist in treating as if they were technical "problems" for which we can find technological "solutions."
© 1997 by Paul A. Smith
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Suggested readings for beginning users of the Essays System include essays in the years 1988 through 1991. The texts in these essays have been best edited and may well prepare readers to continue their exploration through the rest of the Essays System.