Laws, Commandments and Theories
[thoughts from a ~ burning woman ~ Sha'Tara]
"Knowing stuff isn't the problem. Understanding it is." (Replicant Night - K. W. Jeter)
Each day I become more aware of how much people pretend to understand things when all along they've just basically crammed themselves with data, much of it not correlated, none verified. Now with the false sense of instant knowledge provided by the Internet it's getting so you don't have to do any research; you don't have to listen or ponder, you don't have to test it in experience. Just click and point, copy and paste - and print if you want - and: voilà! anyone can appear as an expert in particle physics or what Ken and Barbie's new house looks like.
There is one thing the Internet can never give, and that's understanding. Just like information without experience does not become knowledge. Hence why much of public and university education is a ghastly waste of potentially the most creative time of people's lives. But of course that's the point, isn't it. These days, basking in the relative comfort of my awareness I shudder at how close I came to actually making it into university to be neatly packaged into a professional, a robot of the system.
Let's look at laws. How do we know that a law is legitimate? Well, our beloved lawmakers say so. Our beloved teachers and the school curriculum says so. Our beloved lawyers say so. Our beloved televangelists say so. The Bible says so. The ads on TV say so. Need I go on? None of that proves anything about the legitimacy of any so-called law. Quite the opposite, in fact.
For a law to be legitimate, it has to prove itself in experience. It must be verifiable against irrefutable data or fact. It must hold up under such scrutiny every single time it is invoked. Until verified thus, all laws remain theories. A lawyer, judge or jury may temper a law by compassion but no law by itself can ever be a 'maybe yes and maybe no' concept.
What about commandments: are they laws? It would be tempting to say, well, it depends upon who gives the commandments, but that is no answer. Commandments are nothing but arbitrary rules that apply only to those who, from personal choice, want to live by them; who profess to be followers of the "commander" or maker of the commandments. In military parlance these followers become a command. By the same token these commandments have nothing to do with those who choose not to be a part of that command.
If people took the trouble to analyze these rather important distinctions much of the social problems of this planet could be resolved quite peacefully I think.
I think it fitting to close with the inimitable words of the great Harry Crumb:
"Believe what you will, but don't believe it here."
(from "Who's Harry Crumb?" - movie with John Candy)
I was told I'd never find employment: worked a full time, part time job AND owned my own company!
My mother told me I couldn't write or draw; I am doing BOTH anyway.
My teachers told me I couldn't teach 'normal' kids; I taught anyway.
Doctors told me never to have children; I had children (2) anyway
Mom said I'd never amount to anything; listed in Whose Who Among American Women 2006
I am a registered Independent--vote for the person rather than the party.
I believe that there is GOOD in all men, all religions, all races--we simply have to find a common ground.
To parent, to teach, to live, is to guide by example that others can decide, provide, for themselves.
People are seldom easily 'pegged' ... give us, yourself, some credit!
Not everyone is a puppet on a string but not every individual SHOUTS!
Believe me,
Sandy
Pierre
Very good write,
Peace,
Dan
this gives a reason for thought Regis...
John
Micke
and ... we have an excellent example of KNOW-NOTHINGNESS - in the empty facade of a -
COMMANDer - in - CHIEF !!! He has about as much understanding as CAMEL DUNG!
Peace ... Tom.
The problem is that it is probably the ones you refer to who will be our future lawmakers and bringers of wisdom - but only if we allow it.
Sue P.
Salvador Dali said once that what he painted not necessarly he needed to understand.
Understanding is the matter, the rest is relative.
Good points brother!!!!!!!!
Georg