Re: virus: Religion, Zen, post-structuralism, and the

Eric Boyd (6ceb3@qlink.queensu.ca)
Fri, 14 Jun 1996 19:12:31 -0500


John ''!Boolean'' Williams wrote:

> >Claiming a win by just saying "Checkmate" is sort of pointless, don't
> >you think?
>
> I envision a chess game; one person says, "look at us, sitting here, moving
> these little pieces around, all concerned whether we loose this pawn or
> that rook. It's a nice sunny day outside. Let's go toss a frisbee. What's
> the point of this game anyway?"
>
> The other says, "shut up and move."

What's the point of this conversation, anyway? :=)

> I think a certain type of post-structuralist thinking is not so much about
> declaring winners and losers, as it is insisting that the world is much
> larger than a chess game and we ought to get out and play in it more often.
> My complaint is that the logocentric position -- and the mythocentric
> position -- is similar to the kid in the playground that directs
> everything. "Okay, now you say... okay, now go over there... okay, I shot
> you, you're dead..." Both insist that the world be interpreted the same,
> all around.

Having tossed the "consciousness" meme out yesterday, I'm going to toss
the flip side of that coin out today, and see what you think...

Ultimatly, I think that the best way to "have a good time" in this world
is to let yourself experience things without thinking about experiencing
them. No throughts like "gee... I'm having a good time now" because
ultimatly such thoughts only take away from the pleasure of the
experience. In trying to quantify and qualify the experience, you
become an observer of yourself (consciousness) and then cease to be a
participant in the event. Thus robbing yourself of it.

This effect I think lies at the heart of what alcohol does. In dulling
your mental sences, it makes you incapable of the above consciousness,
and a "good time" is usually the product, simply because you cease
thinking about it /being/ a good time.

(a smart man here will realize this is sorta Zen like)

So there. Now what do I do?

ERiC