How Much (Knowledge) is too Much?

a reply to: Isurrender73

It's natural to feel that way.

Don't let that feeling dampen the fire to create change. Dream big, and reach for the top.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can; And wisdom to know the difference."

We don't need carry the world on our shoulders alone. We're all in the same boat.Practice doing the best you can, with what you got. The more we live like that, the better the hope for the future...

originally posted by: olaru12
Mankind as a species just isn't equipped intellectually or sensorally to grasp enough knowledge to understand the reality of the cosmos. Of course we like to think of ourselves as "aware" but that's just not the case. Outside of our 6 senses, perhaps 7, is the area where "it is" hidden to even our most sophisticated devises, designed to gather information/knowledge.

The analogy I like to use is....".it's like trying to teach a dachshund to play poker; it's futile and annoys the dog."

However there are way to open the doors of perception and get a glimpse behind the curtain. But we can't discuss them on ATS.


en.wikipedia.org...

I agree with this to an extent, but I think the human mind is more than capable of understanding the fundamental mechanics of the universe (multiverse). For instance our minds are equipped to handle the knowledge that this reality is a simulation built for the purpose of perfecting spirits, but is having that information spoiling the game by giving us too close a look at the dealer's hand?

And we can discuss some ways of opening the doors of perception--assuming we're careful. Check my thread called Reality is a Simulation

By the time you turn 10 years old you have already established more of your world view than some of us realize.
We have all heard the stories about children abducted by "aliens" and held captive in secret locations.
Some of those children probably saw too much.

Adults on the other hand have a much more hardened world view, as much as we would like to think otherwise.
Zombie is an extremely relative term.

originally posted by: Klassified
a reply to: Trachel

Once the curtain's been pulled back and the great Oz stands exposed, things suddenly become a lot less interesting. Once you know how this little system operates, much of the intrigue vanishes from life.

The great Oz hasn't been exposed yet. If you're bored, and things are less interesting to you now. I would suggest(respectfully) you aren't paying attention, and have a lot more to learn.

We can never have too much knowledge, imho. We will be learning as long as our species exists. I am an avid reader. Between books, online articles, white papers, and sites like this, I have read far more at this point in my life than most people will read in two lifetimes. I feel like I've only scratched the surface. There's so much more to learn.

Nevertheless, I often feel our knowledge as individuals, and as a society, is out of balance with our experience and maturity as a species. If "information overload" has it's downside, it is our inability to exercise practical application of what we have learned in relation to how we perceive and live.

Sure, I agree. But is there some information you just aren't eager to know? Are there some revelations that would (for you) ruin this cosmic game we're all playing?

For instance what if you knew for fact that karma and reincarnation are real. Would that change how you go about your daily affairs to such an extent that free will would be vitiated? Would you then start attempting to accrue as many celestial brownie points as possible to buy yourself better lives in the future?

Things like that are what I'm on about. Are there some bits of information we're simply not meant to know?

originally posted by: JustTamms
I'd rather have the whole curtain flung wide open, personally.

It would false to make the assumption that everyone wants to know how the "game of life" is played and who's behind, in order to advance in it, or at least have better advantages before it's over. For me, I've always wanted to know how EVERYTHING works, since I was young, from our floor model tv in the living, to organic things like plants, and even astronomical pondering. My search for answers, is out of the sheer delight and joy of knowing what's actually going on existence in general. Nothing more. And when this phase called my life is over, who knows what I'll learn even from that.

Let's take this example and run with it. Assume you know for fact that karma and reincarnation are real.

How drastically would that change how everyone behaved? Suddenly you'd have people going around gaming the system, doing good things simply to gather more karma (which still generates karma, albeit a lesser amount).

Upside: there'd be a lot more good deeds getting done

Downside: everybody would then be competing harder for the limited number of good lives (read: billionaires, celebrities, etc) that are available.

a reply to: emsed1

Awesome point of view. For sure it's important to aid others WHILE improving yourself... but aiding others is also a FORM of improving yourself.

So it's a win-win situation for both parties. The doer of the good deed gets karmic bonuses and moves further along towards the goal of spiritual refinement. The recipient gets the advice/aid/whatever and also gets inspired by the positive example.

Thanks for bringing that up.

originally posted by: Isurrender73

I would never want to return to the darkness, but walking in knowledge can be disheartening. When you know the world could change but don't see the way through the trees, knowledge can feel like a burden.

I think the way through the trees is to be the best person you can be, and lead by example.

Show people the benefits of living a (relatively) flawless life. Dominate all challenges that come your way, and be vocal about your accomplishments so your deeds inspire others.

a reply to: Trachel
Coming from the perspective of having just recently lost another beloved pet, I would feel a lot less grief stricken when loved ones die if I knew for a fact that reincarnation is for real. I would still be selfishly sad at the idea that I will miss them, but would not have the feelings of grief and misery of total loss.

I'm not sure if I would change a whole lot in the way I approach things. But I'm guessing there would be a lot more suicides if people just didn't like the way their lives were going and just wanted to get on to the next one. In fact, there is a science fiction book called "Don't Bite the Sun', by Tannith Lee, where the kids suicide all the time in order to get a new body and/or gender, simply out of boredom. Part of the story is that when the main character matures, she stops doing that.

originally posted by: gwynnhwyfar
a reply to: Trachel
Coming from the perspective of having just recently lost another beloved pet, I would feel a lot less grief stricken when loved ones die if I knew for a fact that reincarnation is for real. I would still be selfishly sad at the idea that I will miss them, but would not have the feelings of grief and misery of total loss.

I'm not sure if I would change a whole lot in the way I approach things. But I'm guessing there would be a lot more suicides if people just didn't like the way their lives were going and just wanted to get on to the next one. In fact, there is a science fiction book called "Don't Bite the Sun', by Tannith Lee, where the kids suicide all the time in order to get a new body and/or gender, simply out of boredom. Part of the story is that when the main character matures, she stops doing that.

Interesting point about suicides.

I assume that in the system there's an incentive against not self-terminating a life. Perhaps those who prematurely end their lives for selfish reasons don't get offered really stellar (read: highly desirous) lives in the future.

Perhaps they get shuffled to the end of the line and have to wait an inordinately long time before getting offered another body.

(Off topic but on topic: I'm super sorry about your cat. I've lost pets before and it's heart-breaking. If you need proof for reincarnation, believe in your heart that the universe can't possibly be fundamentally unfair in the long-term. There's zero way we each get only one life and some of us get it as a billionaire while others get stuck as a janitor)

The system is God at play.
The only knowledge that is too much is what is beyond our current
ability to attune to. We all need to proceed at our own pace.
a reply to: Trachel

a reply to: starswift

Far be it from me to presume upon the motivations of God, but I dunno if "playing" is the right word.

I'd like to think there's more motive behind it than screwing around. Creating other perfect spirits is SRSBSN.

Well, one good example would be if you know to much, you'd ether be having intelligent conversations with yourself and enjoy them, or your brain would fry from being overloaded, end result being a vegetable.

Or when ones to smart for their own good I guess most of the time.

Were I in charge of things, the light of day would shine broadly upon the hidden things for all to see and know.

Fortunately, I am not in charge of things, because factors determine, from person to person, what constitutes 'too much knowledge'. For people who are clever or who have already gone down the rabbit hole by some other means, the shock is lessens as time goes by, and that's fine. It's called maturity. However, a "normal" or even below average person could go completely bonkers if it was all just laid out, and half the world is of below average intelligence. (That's how math works.) And that's disregarding people who already have a diagnosis.

originally posted by: Trachel
a reply to: emsed1

Awesome point of view. For sure it's important to aid others WHILE improving yourself... but aiding others is also a FORM of improving yourself.

So it's a win-win situation for both parties. The doer of the good deed gets karmic bonuses and moves further along towards the goal of spiritual refinement. The recipient gets the advice/aid/whatever and also gets inspired by the positive example.

Thanks for bringing that up.

You don't get it, right?
Whatever you were "shown" in your experience weren't the facts, but the layer of programming: a reflection of the belief systems that are holding back people and any other beings.
By accepting stuff such as "spiritual" refinement, "karma" and others, you're unknowingly (or knowingly, if you're silly enough) accepting to become someone else's plaything, falling into the sucker end of a power/control game.

a reply to: yosako

I don't believe that for a second.

I believe that by subscribing to karma and consistently working towards bettering myself, I'm only aiding myself and others--working steadily towards becoming more and more perfect, thus entrusted with more and more responsibility/authority in this game.

originally posted by: Trachel
a reply to: yosako

I don't believe that for a second.

I believe that by subscribing to karma and consistently working towards bettering myself, I'm only aiding myself and others--working steadily towards becoming more and more perfect, thus entrusted with more and more responsibility/authority in this game.

If you want to see which kind of people get "responsibility/authority" just check any government.

a reply to: Trachel

It's so good to hear it! Those of us who share that perspective can come across as niave sometimes, in the face of adversity. Personally, I count on that. Often others to underestimate the value of knowing yourself in the bigger picture...

a reply to: yosako

Yeah, but you're talking about on a human level.

On a celestial level only mature spirits receive authority... which doesn't always translate well into "human" standards for maturity.

After some reflection, learning more about my past lives feels a little uncomfortable. Friends sometimes ask me about this, in our more other worldly discussions. While I have a vague sense of this, a part of me doesn't want to get distracted from what I'm working on in the now...

a reply to: dffrntkndfnml

Yeah you completely got my point.

Knowing everything about your past lives would only be a distraction, just like knowing all the rules of this celestial game would only muddy the waters of perception.

Sometimes it's nice to move through life with blinders on... it's only when there's no visible incentive for doing good that you find out who the truly benevolent spirits are.