WHERE IS MIND?
Posted by anthonynorth on July 12, 2009
Including One Single Impression and Sunday Scribblings.
Have you had a go yet?
PROF ISAAC GALISTEIN
The idea of a universal mind ‘out there’ is shunned because the brain is
slowly being mapped out. This appears to be the end of such ideas,
with any evidence to the contrary being anecdotal, thus making any
theory of such a mind pseudo-scientific. Mind is ‘in there’, and the
result of chemical interactions. However, I don’t think it is as easy as
that. If the brain is merely a point of bodily coordination for thought,
the physical effect would be exactly the same. Hence, it could be
they are learning about the car, but not looking for the driver.
Eye On the World
Writers’ Tips
The ‘Y’ Files
BRIT NEWS: Big City bonuses
are returning. We haven’t learnt
the lesson – that this tycoonocracy
has nothing but contempt for us little people.
GREEN NEWS: G8 leaders agree to try to limit global warming.
Note the important word ‘try’. Will their hot air add to the
problem?
BRIT NEWS: Anger growing over inferior kit for Brit
troops in Afghanistan. A govt that doesn’t
protect them properly is a disgrace.
THINKING
I’m thinking hard to work it out,
I’ll get there, I’ve no doubt,
Soon I’ll know what to do,
Then my actions will be noble and true …
Damn!
I thought about it for so long,
The time to do it has gone
INDULGENCE
Fiction: He had the urge for indulgence. It never occurred to him how
destructive it can be. He’d had the urge for a long time, and it was
behind his first flicker of fame. He could have had a good, long
career, but he craved the indulgence – in his celebrity status and his
outrageous living. And of course, the outrageous living increased the
fame as the fans indulged him. And inevitably the indulgence led to
the clinic, the arrogance and the spectacular fall from fame. But his
indulgence knew no bounds. He knew he just had to have those
headlines again. And now, as he took the overdose, his dying thought
was that he was back.
HOPE
Her name is Hope, I love her so,
She’s always with me wherever I go,
Never letting me despair,
Always making me aware,
That life is never really that bad,
Goading me if I dare be sad
© Anthony North, July 2009
Edward S. Gault said
Clever piece on thinkinking for OSI.
Ienjoyed it very much!
anthonynorth said
Hi Edward,
Thanks for that. Much appreciated.
James said
Very true. What science will discover is the driver is operating the vechicle remotely.
anthonynorth said
Hi James,
You could well be right.
lostmermaid said
Thinking : nice message …
Indulgence : Dark but perfect !
Hope : Nice
Loved your writes as ever !!
anthonynorth said
Hi Lostmermaid,
Many thanks. Your kind words are appreciated.
SandyCarlson said
“Thinking” and your thought on the brain worked well for me this morning, Anthony. The car, the driver, the time….We need to stay humble.
anthonynorth said
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for that. Yes, humble is definitely the way to be.
Dee said
“Learning about the car but not looking for the driver” that’s gold Tony
same with “tycoonocracy”, the end effect of too much indulgence and the thinking without doing mindset.
Lots to think about here today
anthonynorth said
Hi Dee,
Thanks for that. I quite liked ‘tycoonocracy’ myself.
Fledgling Poet said
Overthinking will get us every time! Your “Indulgence” was sad, yet there are actually people like that in the world. Tragic…
Nairobi said
Hi Anthony,
Liked those lines on hope and indulgence a lot.
Very well put.
The Dark Lord said
The lines on thinking are beautiful… How often have our thoughts delayed our actions, when finally, upon deciding to act, we find the time for action has passed!
Linda G said
Hi Anthony,
Just watched a pgm on a PBS station on the current science of mapping the brain’s activity while practioner’s where ‘communicating with God’ via meditation/prayer/etc. The ‘universal mind’ concept was mentioned repeatedly- tho not in those exact terms. What was discussed was getting beyond the ‘inner’ or ego & experiencing the ‘outer’. The outer was described in many different ways- but it certainly could have also been described as the universal mind. Apparently our ancient ‘fight or flight’ response subconciously remains on alert in the background & interfers with/prevents the emergence of the outer/universal mind experience. Meditation/prayer helps us get back to that good sense of being- where we are aware of the oneness of life & are far more compassionate. Was fascinating- I really enjoyed the merging of science & spirituality.
lissa said
THINKING – delightful words
INDULGENCE – is this relating to a particular celebrity? I’ll never understand the pain that those people go through but I could understand failure and how that could make one lose all hope
HOPE – nice, I like the positive vibe this gives out
Twilight said
Re the universal mind – I think it’ll only be when humans become skilled enough to create a synthetic mind, capable of intricate thought, that it will become clear that there’s more to us than simple mechanics or physics. Humans won’t be able to make a replica – I’d bet on it. What the extra ingredient is though – ????
“Hope” – nice thoughts on the best companion there is, AN
Beth Patterson said
The paralysis of analysis! Great light touches today, Anthony!
Nathalie (Spacedlaw) said
Thinking about thinking, is this still a thought?
Maggie said
Me thinkith, thou thinkith…too much…LOL
I do get your drift and it is enjoyable.
Jeeves said
Hope,hope. Life is nothing without it:D
anthonynorth said
Hi Fledgling Poet,
Thanks for that. Yes, too many seem to crave the headlines this much.
Hi Nairobi,
Many thanks. Glad you liked them.
Hi The Dark Lord,
This is so true. Thinking is important, but only to a point.
Hi Linda,
That sounds like an interesting programme. Such meditation seems to be the one time when people really experience something more, though they’ve all found it impossible to truly understand.
Hi Lissa,
Thanks for that. No, ‘Indulgence’ isn’t based on anyone in particular, though its timing would obviously suggest it is.
anthonynorth said
Hi Twilight,
No, I can’t see us ever managing it, mainly because the entire idea of creating such technology disallows the intuitive leaps that would be required for such a mind to ‘think’. In other words, it would have to transcend tech and BECOME mind.
Hi Beth,
Many thanks. Yes, I always try to put some lightness in there somewhere
Hi Nathalie,
I would have thought so – I think.
Hi Maggie,
I think I do
Hi Jeeves,
Very true. It’s so important.
Michelle Johnson said
Thinking and Hope resonate well with me. I’m constantly thinking what I can do to change things in my life but a little slow on acting on it. Hope is always a good thing to have. It helps us get through each day. Have a great day.
anthonynorth said
Hi Michelle,
Yes, changing from thinking to action can often be a problem, but as long as we have hope, we thrive.
Tumblewords said
Thinking and Indulgence – timely! Surely, they’ll still be timely well into the future…humans are a slow-learning species. Mostly. But there is Hope!
Nice post…
JanePoet ~ JP/deb said
Love the one on Thinking (or OVER Thinking!)
peace,
JP/deb
Linda G said
Hi Anthony,
Here’s the link to the program I noted in my earlier comment today: http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=285566-1
You can watch it if your interested by clicking on the flash link.
anthonynorth said
Hi Tumblewords,
Yes, we certainly learn slowly, learning just in time to forget it and make the same mistakes again.
Hi Deb,
Thanks for that. Much appreciated.
Hi Linda,
Thanks for the link. I’ll take a look tomorrow. Nearly bedtime here.
Geraldine said
My comment seems to have gone poof!!! I liked your take on the thinking prompt Tony. More food for thought.
Hugs, G
sue said
Lot’s of “thoughtful” ideas. Like your little “thinking” poem–we do sometimes get so caught up in the thought we don’t get around to acting.
naramalone said
I agree with you on the mindmapping. I think a map of the mind, like a map of you neighborhood, barely conveys what is really there.
The thinking poem spoke to me. I’m guilty.
anthonynorth said
Hi Geraldine,
You commented on the previous post. Easily happens. Thanks for the kind words.
Hi Sue,
Many thanks. Yes, it so easily happens.
Hi Naramalone,
I like the analogy you used there. Yes, so much remains unknown by merely measuring, etc.
Geraldine said
Oopppss…time to shut down this computer!!! LOL
anthonynorth said
Hi Geraldine,
Not for long, though
Quilly said
A universal mind, broadcasting ideas like seed cast upon the wind. Somewhere it will find fertile ground and sprout. What I want to know, is why don’t I ever get the really great ideas first, rather than after a couple hundred people have already made their version of them public?
Quilly said
Oh, and Indulgence — are you sure that’s fiction, Tony?
stan said
Indulgence – Some celebs go to any lengths to maintain their celebrity status.
anthonynorth said
Hi Quilly,
Well, fiction often reflects life
As to the mind thing, many would say too many live too much in the material world and have forgotten how to listen. As for me, I often listen but it’s just too damn difficult to understand
Hi Stan,
They do indeed. Madness.
Amias said
I find you thoughts on the universal mind to be very interesting. I have always thought of the Brains as simple a place to store and correlating of thoughts waiting to be manifest. But what do I know, I just like to think.
It is sad to send our young man to war ill prepared, America seem to have that same problem in Iraq. Bet when the “big dogs” visit the soldier’s camps, they are protected in a cocoon of safety. There are times when my government embarrasses me so much I want to go somewhere and hide.
I love your piece on “thinking” because it rings true in my life, too many times. Oh well, what’s a human to do?
Of course you labeled this as fiction, but I think your INDULGENCE seems to speak to what you think about MJ. If so, allow me to add that he was simply a tool to be used to create money for others. If he indulged a little, it was because he had to do something to justify his own existence other than of being a slave to others need for power and money. MJ was the ultimate slave; he was used to appease others greed — in the end they wore him out and discarded him like an old dirty rag that has outlived it time. He will make more money dead then he ever did living. How ironic, but not surprising.
Oh I love your analogy on HOPE — it gives me hope, to say the least.
Anthony, it feels good to read you again — while drinking tea and contemplating the many facets of that which you are communicating, and that which I find hidden between the lines. Thank you.
anthonynorth said
Hi Amias,
Thanks for the kind words. Always appreciated. I accept much of what you say about MJ, although the piece wasn’t specific to him. It has happened so many times, like a repeating story.
Linda may said
Hope, charity and faith all good names to follow.
But all subjective to our personal belief system and learning.
anthonynorth said
Hi Linda,
Very true words there.
Sandy said
I have done that myself a couple of times, Anthony. (on thinking)
anthonynorth said
Hi Sandy,
Yes, it is a common problem. So often we don’t think enough when we should, and too much when we shouldn’t.
Bluebethley said
Loved the comment about scientists mapping the car and not looking for the driver. I agree consciousness is more complicated — even when Ithink I understand, I don’t understand how I think (if that makes sense). How much is logical, how much intuitive? Where does intuition fit in? I don’t believe the brain is all chemical reaction. And we haven’t really understood how other creatures “think”. Your “indulgence” piece is sad and a thoughtful commentary re Michael Jackson without raising that name. Thank you as always for visiting. May the week go well for you.
anthonynorth said
Hi Bluebethley,
Thanks for the comment. Yes, the mind remains an enigma, no matter how much science tries to understand.
totomai said
Re: INDULGENCE -> sad that others have to resort to not so good things just to have the spotlight on them once again.
anthonynorth said
Hi Totomai,
It is very sad, but inevitable, I think, for a certain mentality.
Leo said
hey, the thinking poem was well thought out… no pun intended…
i liked it a lot… esp the ending two lines…
shows that by the time u think about what to do, the opportunity to actually do it would have gone…
anthonynorth said
Hi Leo,
Thanks for that. It happens so often.
gabrielle said
The lumbering thinking bear balanced by the wings of hope. The paradox we live. I so enjoy my visits here. There’s crusty substance to chew on and levity to glide. thank you.
anthonynorth said
Hi Gabrielle,
Many thanks. Yes, everything is a delicate balance, I think.
Jim said
Thanks, Anthony. You can see I’m way behind. Been thinking too long, like your poem. It is great! :-0
..
anthonynorth said
Hi Jim,
It happens
Thanks for the kind words.