REFER TO GREY: Contemplations by Robert Greigos © 2007-2024

Her shape is rounded, bulbous, gullied, and torn.
     Her voice rattles doors.
          Her eyes blaze hot spear points.
     Dare not confront this woman.
     Dare not disregard her either.
Within your space she has evolved.
Within her purview you must reside.

We like things simple, understandable, easy to cope with. Our notion of rational is that which matches our own propensities, our own preconceptions.

"What?" you say, "The earth is not flat? The sun does not circle the earth? Accuse me, do you? I pollute? What I do has consequence? Such notions are the true pollutants. Blaspheme I say to you. By God's decree I do as I do. And none but He shall have me cease."

Evidence is, in fact, that not only is the way we think dependent upon the evolved and developed wiring in our brains, but upon specific genes that have been turned on or off during our rearing. (See the previous post "Guiding Touch".) As adults at either of two extremes we may be either patient, thoughtful, considered and deliberate in our actions, or quick to fear, quick to rage, chaotic and completely disregarding of our consequence.

Optimistic, enlightened, Liberalism, if you will, would have us believe society can be constructed in such a way so as to allow personalities at the extremes of thinking to peacefully coexist. Pessimists, the less thoughtful, more quick to react, Conservatives, if you will, would have us believe a side must be chosen, the opposition need be stamped out, our ranks must be purified. (See the previous post "The Purity Movement".) But on the third hand, population biologists would point to the fact that characteristics common to the middle of the group are what guarantees the group's survival within current environmental conditions, while at the same time variations on those same middle ground characteristics, so called outliers, might at some point provide a pathway for a species to survive the threat of extinction as conditions change.

No matter how set or flexible your thinking, viability will always be measured against the conditions nature, and sometimes culture, imposes. May your constructions serve as viable stepping stones toward a more satisfying future for all who would open their minds to their meaning and significance.