A New Approach Towards Thinking
Part I. The Importance of a Life of Feeling.
Here is a link to the introductory piece in this series, it would be a good starting point:
An Introduction of Sorts…
For most of the affluent world (I am using the word affluent loosely here; to imply those people who enjoy a life of comfort and luxury to a great extent), which is most of the western world, which is therefore most of my world, thinking has grown to become something we value far less than feeling.
There seems to be a very skeptical perspective towards anyone in the world who is presenting ideas, and therefor approaching thought, from a new, or rather seldom noticed angles. People today would rather shy away from the revelations of these frightening angles, and deny any relevance or worth to the people altogether. People would rather hold onto their own stable, yet narrowing perspective(s), than develop the courage to broaden scope, and gain insight. The reason — we have grown to lust for the comfort of our own feelings.
Contrary to what so many of us believe — thinking and feeling life are not at odds, or opposition to each other. What I mean is this: A person who fears coming into the light of new ideas (thought material), also fears letting go of selfish feelings — that is feelings which promote and justify absence of change.
Interesting it is, to notice that our world currently celebrates individuals who push into the public sphere a story which questions (and often outright denies) any benevolence that could exist within the human being (except perhaps their own). And people gravitate to these stories like moths at a lantern on a new moon night.
Human beings are currently in love with their own selfish feelings. Note that I did not say their selfish self — for I believe it is actually the feelings which are selfish, and once the individual aligns his/her self with the selfish feelings the individual develops a mode of being which is selfish. The individual does not love this development of self however, he loves the feelings, and the safety they provide.
(In truth, I actually think most human beings secretly despise the self which is developing from this allegiance to selfish feelings and to our moods of self loathing or aggrandisation. It’s just that the individual simultaneously lacks the strength and courage to face the task of overcoming them)
Where am I going with this now?
I would like to keep this short in hope to offer space to you, courageous thinker!
It is my hypothesis, that the thoughts which we most frequently find ourselves with are directly tied to the feelings which we are most bound up with. And the only way to begin to value a thinking life, is to begin to value a feeling life that moves beyond the shallow self-centered feelings which our cultural life inculcates. The feeling life of a human being is like the foundation for the thinking life — it sits beneath it. A weak foundational feeling life, that is one which has no breadth because it is wrapped up in the fulfillment of the personality of the individual, will collapse under the weight of any true thinking activity — which of course extends far beyond the personal well being of the individual.
I believe a day will come, when we will see the greatest minds more clearly, resting upon the bodies of great feelings; feelings which encompass a reverence for all humanity, all life, and all spiritual beings, which facilitate a mind to activity to begin with.
Further reading:
Part II: Psychology and Self-Responsibility — Shadow Games

