July 12, 2005
Commentary:
The shackles of cognitive thought
By Jack GrantI am listening to a song by Thea Gilmore, "Rags and Bones" (from the album Avalanche
The phrase "the shackles of cognitive thought" has far more to it than first appears.
I have tried to indicate in my writings how we are often imprisoned by our own point of view unless we are willing to make a great effort to step outside that limitation to see a larger world.
After my two week hiatus, this limitation is even more evident when I read the various views expressed on the diverse array of weblogs I read. Yet, this prison of limited viewpoint is NOT "the shackles of cognitive thought", because these unthinking reactions that are so common are not restricted by any form of cognition but instead have no bounds of reason imposed upon them. Even without the bounds of reason it is a prison none the less.
"The shackles of cognitive thought" are self-imposed by those who choose to think instead of react, restricting themselves to the bounds of reason instead of indulging in flights of fancy that are divorced from reality.
Unfortunately, most in blogworld, and in the world at large as well, choose to react instead of think.
They choose reject the reality imposed by the shackles of cognitive thought for the far more pleasant non-reality of the emotional reaction, which is emphasized by the comments of yea-sayers that fill the role of a Greek chorus, telling the readers how they are supposed to react.
Freed from the shackles of cognitive thought, they are able to engage in all kinds of flights of fancy, imposing edicts and declaring any who oppose them traitors or worse.
Yet freedom has a grave responsibility associated with it, a responsibility ignored by those who indulge in the freedom from the shackles of cognitive thought.
Instead, they choose to skip freely down a path that has consequences they refuse to see, much less illustrate for those who follow them.
It must be nice to be able to completely ignore the responsibility that comes with true adulthood, of being able to see different points of view, of being able to perceive a larger world, of being able to consider that they themselves may not hold the Word of God.
That irresponsibility will cost us all dearly even more than it already has.
Technorati Tags: commentary
Posted by Jack Grant at 22:40 on 12 July 2005 Trackbacks (0) | permalink"Yet freedom has a grave responsibility associated with it, a responsibility ignored by those who indulge in the freedom from the shackles of cognitive thought.
Instead, they choose to skip freely down a path that has consequences they refuse to see, much less illustrate for those who follow them."
With respect, I argue not with the conclusion which is correct but contend that in fact it does not go far enough.
I tried to rework it but I could only so do by losing the brilliance of "outside the shackles of cognitive thought".
Perhaps this is the reflection of the old saying that there are none so blind as those who will not see."
Posted by: probligo at July 12, 2005 02:10 AMI just want to SHOUT:
Heeeeeeeeeeee's BACK!
(and, in damned fine form too.)
