7. Summing Up (Along the Way)
or, I Still Don't Know Where I'm Going, But I'm Making Good Time
“Consider, for example, the times of Vespasian. Thou wilt see all these things, people marrying, bringing up children, sick, dying, warring, feasting, trafficking, cultivating the ground, flattering, obstinately arrogant, suspecting, plotting, wishing for some to die, grumbling about the present, loving, heaping up treasure, desiring consulship, kingly power. Well, then, that life of these people no longer exists at all. Again, remove to the times of Trajan. Again, all is the same. Their life too is gone. In like manner view also the other epochs of time and of whole nations, and see how many after great efforts soon fell and were resolved into the elements.”
– Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Meditations, Book IV, 32
Having concluded the preceding essays, can it be said that any answer has been found – to our original question, of “why things are the way they are?” At least in relation to human existence? Given the scope of such a question, it may not actually be possible to answer it in a satisfactory way; but unless the discussions that were presented were completely misguided, perhaps something, at least, has been gained.
As the inquiry commenced, a portrait was seen of the human mentality: of a mind that experiences not reality, but rather perceptions of reality, limited (and sometimes misleading) perceptions that are given form and meaning by unconsciousness mechanisms of the brain itself. In the wake of these perceptions come ideas, which are influenced and guided by experience, and again by inherent characteristics of the mind. Those ideas which an individual considers to be true and are supported by substantial evidence may be termed “knowledge”, while those not supported by such evidence may be termed “beliefs”; since ideas and perceptions are all that the mind can experience, these constitute the world for the individual. The sum of knowledge and beliefs, then, makes up an individual’s “worldview”, while a group may also have a worldview, composed of the aggregate worldviews of the individuals composing it.
Being social creatures, human beings instinctively organize into groups, each group constituting an “us” (in contrast to “them”, who are not of the group). The groups thus formed may be of any size and nature, but in any case the characteristics of the group – its identity – will tend to become part of the self-identities of its members. Thus the ideas about a group may come to be essential to an individual’s worldview, or the worldview of an entire nation-state, and form the rationale for a “tribal imperative”.
Power – the ability to command – is a fundamental characteristic of the state, in a world organized into states under the tribal imperative. Within the state, power regulates the behavior of individuals and organized groups; between states it provides the ability to conduct negotiations or war. However, power also tends to attract the corrupt, and is inherently corrupting, for it often must rely on force or deception, and finally comes, as a matter of self-preservation and aggrandizement, to seek its own ends.
The distribution of power within the state is the objective in the concrete for an ideology, as a system of political ideas; while a central ideal of what “should be” establishes an ideology’s objective in the abstract, and underlies its very reason for being. A sentiment of “should be” arises from the worldview of the mind, yet a statement of “should” cannot be falsified, which implies that an ideology’s central ideal constitutes belief, rather than knowledge, inasmuch as it cannot be supported by evidence (though it possible that an ideal’s intended results may be supported by evidence).
So it is that we have a portrait of humanity organized into states by the dictates of power and the tribal imperative, with the distribution of power within the state guided by ideology. However, given that tribalism is instinctive rather than rational in origin, that the central ideals of ideologies cannot rest upon evidence, and that power itself is ultimately corrupting, the result is a corrupt irrationality that is a fundamental characteristic of human society – running through it like a jagged streak of lightning.
This result would appear to be inevitable, perhaps as a consequence of the nature of life itself. For the existence of life is governed by only a single principle: the continuation of the lineage (and not of the individual, whose existence is strictly transitory). That thread of life which is capable of continuing, does so; that which is not, ceases to exist. Such continuation does not depend on any ideal, or rationality itself, but simply on a capacity to survive. To be sure, social creatures must observe, to a degree, various rules of behavior, so that society can maintain its existence; but these rules will always be challenged by certain individuals, who may thereby gain a material advantage. And as for rationality, it may well contribute to the pursuit of material advantage – but rationality in the service of irrational desire will never produce a rational result.
Rationality itself is an aspect of the conscious mind; and concerning consciousness, a crucial insight was presented in second of the preceding essays: namely, that it is not what it appears to be. Conscious experience – which superficially seems to constitute the essential life of the mind, “I think, therefore I am” – exists as a facade, behind which unconscious mechanisms and drives work to create the only picture of the world that consciousness can ever know, and define its desires and purposes. Indeed, what might be termed “conscious will” appears to have far less importance that is generally ascribed to it, and may not even exist at all. Certainly consciousness exists, serving an important observation and feedback function, but decisions, as a product of “will”, may be made largely, or even completely, by the unconscious mind – decisions which consciousness then takes as its own.
And so the portrait of human society that emerges gains it motivating force, of an unconscious existence which underlies and impels ideology, and tribalism, and power themselves. The “black box” of human society finally sees its nature revealed. Any who would doubt the power of unconscious drives would be invited to take a careful look at our present society, as it actually exists: with its billionaires who continue to heap up billions, seemingly without end or even purpose; politicians and functionaries who relentlessly seek greater power, always grasping for more, attempting to fill a void that can never be filled; and among less exalted mortals, those who frantically pursue a career, or business interests, or simply self-indulgence, with little regard for any other aspect of life. Yet all will come to an end, the same end, an end in which they finally return to the dirt of the earth. So what have they achieved? Anything more than the other animals of this planet, all of which strive to survive as well, and evidently without benefit of consciousness? Just as the pig of the forest roots tirelessly for acorns, day after day … until one day it roots no more.
But of course many of these things been considered before. As Marcus Aurelius did.
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A Personal Afterword
The portrait of human society presented above may well be upsetting, especially to those devoted to some version of idealism. That corrupt irrationality is fundamental to society, running through it “like a jagged streak of lightning”, is something that I myself find to be upsetting. Of course, most will never accept such a thing, if only because they do not even suspect it is possible. Such obliviousness is understandable, for we necessarily exist in the midst of our society, usually going about our lives from day to day without considering the implications of the social structure that surrounds us, any more than a fish considers the liquid medium which surrounds it on every side – until one day an unfortunate reality might be encountered, everything goes awry, and the fish finds itself out of water.
In my own case, there was no sudden encounter with reality. Instead, it was a gradual process that took place over many years, as I slowly (indeed, belatedly) gained some knowledge of history, of contemporary events, and the meaning of events in my own life. Why this took place I do not know; it was, in a strange way, involuntary, involving no conscious purpose on my own part. But insensate laggard though I have been, I have sometimes, at least, been interested in what knowledge might be gained of the nature of things, whereas most seem generally satisfied with simple belief. Again, to some extent the latter is understandable, for belief is readily (even unconsciously) acquired from those around us, and can provide comfort to a life otherwise devoid of it. Then too, existence for many is so deprived, precarious, and turbulent that any systematic acquaintance with knowledge is out of the question. Yet even among intelligent elites who have every opportunity to seek knowledge, I have noticed that it often seems to have little attraction. Instead, I am filled with astonishment and dismay when so many abandon themselves to evident absurdities, self-serving obsessions, and outright dogmatism.
It must also be said that life itself is often difficult, and ultimately tragic. We are born, thrust into the world involuntarily, only to stumble along, often aimlessly, occasionally encountering what we call happiness, sometimes afflicted with anxiety and pain, but in any case finally ending in dissolution. Each of us creates a whole world, one of hopes, and memories, and dreams, of experiences and attachments, and even, sometimes, of wisdom – only to have it perish. This is in the very nature of life, for the individual is but a short thread in an ever changing tapestry of existence, soon coming to an end, so that a new thread can take up its own course.
And yet, might it be possible for the individual to avoid at least one aspect of the general tragedy, by seeking what is true? For might the truth be enough, in and of itself … as the one thing that finally matters?
Nevertheless, what is certain, in the end, is this: that life goes on.