A classic dropout hero
Started: Sunday, July 4, 2004 00:23
Finished: Sunday, July 4, 2004 01:48
I've written and done a lot of crazy shit during the past few days. Now mind you, the fact that it's crazy does not mean I'm retracting any of it, nor does it change my theoretical course in life. Not a moment has gone by when I didn't realize that what I am contemplating and doing is irrefutably insane. However, I now realize that there might be a more effective way to articulate these ideas to some members of this audience than linking to extremist radical websites and putting out inexplicable statements.
So here's something I'd like to try instead. I want to focus on the story and some of the ideas of a classic dropout hero. This person may be one of the earliest known dropouts to exist, and unlike the majority of them, he actually did make it into many official history books.
Though many superficial aspects of the culture from which he came differ significantly from our own, the essential structures and prevailing attitudes were very similar. There was an empire hell-bent on conquering, dominating, and profiting from the exploitation of the middle east. There were lots of religious fanacits preaching at people. There was widespread poverty and hunger, not just of the physical variety, but also in the spiritual realm. Many, both rich and poor, were searching for a better way to live.
Though many parts of his life remain shrouded in mystery, what is known is that sometime around the age of 30, this dropout -- a man without any permanent residence and virtually no money to speak of -- began recruiting followers. He spent much of his time hanging out with the homeless, and was also known to associate with prostitutes. Much of what he said was considered radical even by those who were closest to him, and sometimes, his statements were downright inexplicible. Nevertheless, he somehow developed a rather large following, and some took it upon themselves to commit to memory the most important of his teachings to write down at a later date.
In discussing how to deal with life's worries and insecurities, he would often compare people with wild animals such as sparrows and foxes. In the latter case, he actually considered the lives of foxes to be more materially stable than his own. Some might think that he ought to have gotten a job and settled down; it certainly might have made things easier. But he did not.
To the contrary, when a rather wealthy man asked for advise on how to improve his life, the reply amounted to, "Get rid of all your stuff, give your money to the poor, and come hang out with me for a while."
It's the hardest thing in the world to do, but rumors have been circulating that it also leads to happiness. Though I haven't gotten very far with it yet, based on some early personal experiments, I can verify that there is at least some truth to it. So I want to see if I can go farther.
It is my hope that this little exercise in sophistry might help some people to better understand a little bit about what I'm aiming for.
The revolution is at hand. It comes not through the violent overthrow of the state, as some might be expecting, but through a transformation in the hearts of you and me. This is the essence of my quest.
by bouncing (2004-07-05 09:33)
My observation is that Jesus, Ghondi, Buddha, and other who dropped out of their times' consumer culture did so not just for the sake of giving up one lifestyle, but also to take up another cause -- a worthy ambition.
So as not to offend religious sensibility, I'll use the case of Ghondi. He figured out that the British used the want of pleasure to force the general public into submission. Ironically, it's that want of perceived happiness by the individual that prevented contentment for society as a whole.
Again, I think this goes back to the concept that desire was keeping people from doing what they really wanted to do, and perhaps more importantly, kept them from being who they really wanted to be. Jesus and Bhudda -- although having a different view of the supernatural -- both realized too that desire for pleasure interferes with contentment. It was a roadblock on some greater goal.
I think the question still must be asked: What is the greater goal?