How Do You See The World?
Yesterday I sent out a tweet: “how do you see the world? as a battlefield, or as a playground? something else?” and I received the largest response to any tweet I’ve made ever.
I’ve noticed over the past few weeks that there are a lot of manifestos circulating. I made one myself the other day (a Life Manifesto), saw Leo Babauta of Zen Habits has a beta of his new book posted, focus: a simplicity manifesto in the age of distraction, Umair Haque of the Harvard Business Review just wrote up The Betterness Manifesto, and even a we are human manifesto. (p.s. these are all worth a read!)
What this means to me is that people are growing restless with what’s being presented to us from “out there,” and inside we are taking ownership of our lives and our minds and saying “No.” We are looking inside of ourselves and asking what we really think we are, who we are, what our fundamental values are, and how we can start living honestly and authentically. I personally feel that every action or behavior we take that is out of alignment with what we really believe in crushes our soul a bit. And if you look around, there are a lot of downtrodden people. And people are getting fed up and ready to wake up.
I’m pasting below all the great responses to my tweet, and I welcome any of those people to expand on what they meant by their response here in the comments section, and if anyone else wants to share their views, we’d all love to hear them. The metaphors that people have in their minds that represent their construction of reality are all interesting to me, and valid. I think that as we move forward as a global society, being comfortable expressing these views will be important. Perhaps we will begin breaking the chains of bondage to old dogmas and paradigms that simply don’t serve us anymore, and instead embrace the idea that each of us sees the world in their own way, and that each way is true for them. There is no need to force your views on others – people already have an inner truth that is just waiting to be rediscovered.
The Life Manifesto I wrote the other day was actually my final assignment for a course I was taking on Interactive Media Studies with Douglas Rushkoff. Instead of a final, he asked us to define, in one paragraph, our life manifesto. To lay out what we think is really going on with the web and why it’s important (or unimportant) to humanity. It was harder to do than you’d think.
So I challenge you to write your Life Manifesto and post it in the comments if you like. Ask yourself who you are and what you really fundamentally believe. You might be surprised what you come up with.
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@frankspencer Your cosmology affects everything else you think and do.
@fransgaard I see the world as a high-resolution version of the Internet. 
@marciamarcia As a learning lab.
@macengr I see it as a chess board. It takes strategy and thinking a couple of moves ahead to navigate through it.
@digitalforgood A garden. Planting seeds. Discovery and insight in gardening. Nurturing. Create strong roots that will handle the storms
@alecperkins @VenessaMiemis a stage?
@Quinnovator as an adventure
@janwebb21 RT @Quinnovator: as an adventure
@tweetprobe world view : complex patterns deadlocked by ‘time
@wordpost For the sake of conversation: Do we need a higher-order abstraction (i.e. metaphor) to describe our perception of the world?
@cole_tucker as a bubble bath
@mason_mem meh. somebody said love = a battlefield. the world is how a (wo)man thinks it is. when U find him/her (s)he connects the dots
@ConnectIrmeli as a chain of prayers
@mjayliebs “Viewed” leaves 4 senses out of the loop – I prefer to experience it – just my $.02
@jazzmann91 the world is a planet. that planet is a spaceship in time. looping, always looping
@alecperkins it’s all about choosing the part you want to play, and to whom. soldier or friend.
@tweetprobe @VenessaMiemis : each is true? : No. Deadlock of systems is one system/process overriding all others, looping unto itself repeating history
@jjaime @VenessaMiemis @wordpost a metaphor could help but we need to make the stament clear for all. And contexts can change interpretation.
@AnalPoet #Differences in #Development(nomads -> peasants -> citizens)
@mgua As a place we definitely need to make better. That is our mission. We cannot fail.
@scootergomoo unsupervised play pen, where infantile dynamics, primitive instincts, selfish tendencies rule
@wordpost @jjaime @VenessaMiemis My question: does a collective commitment to one metaphor guide our action? Is language that powerful?
@miniver As a swamp: http://bit.ly/amZxmS
@tdebaillon The world is a playground populated by people, most of which think it is a battlefield.
@SteveKoss The world @VenessaMiemis the row, yaw, pitch of maneuvering a spacecraft in & out of an eclipse, to arrive into a new orbital plane.
@jeffarch As a garden. It just needs to be weeded every now and then.
@jeffarch of course one person’s weed is another’s [fill in the blank]
@mason_mem @VenessaMiemis @wordpost: @jjaimeLanguage as powerful: metaphor & actions change. Goal becomes less great, more mundane, profane.
@AnalPoet @VenessaMiemis #BattleField The world is becoming a #Noosphere http://ht.ly/1Oi8T and http://ht.ly/1Oia0 #HunterGatherers #TradeInTrust
@wordpost @mason_mem @VenessaMiemis @jjaime And what about when metaphor is leveraged, abused? e.g. the “Patriot” Act
@leashless if you’re rich or secure world’s a playground. If you’re poor / insecure it’s a battleground. People have kids, grow teeth.
@WeCallKarma Interesting that so many people see the world as a container or a vessel rather than a process. A noun instead of a verb.
@mason_mem @wordpost @VenessaMiemis @jjaime Then a pox on all our houses.
@mason_mem @VenessaMiemis @wordpost @jjaime We deleverage with love, even if they have hollowed out our speech.
@chris23 @VenessaMiemis @WeCallKarma Static view is symptomatic of an old logic set. We’re now moving into non-linearity, flow, & interdependency.
@ironick Herbert Simon said it’s because we think of our goals as states (things) and how to get there as steps (processes)
@CoCreatr I see the world as greeting, interview, survey, marketplace, garden, park, city, planet, and things left untold.
@DavidHolzmer A canvas for sure!
@jeff_dickey Civilians have no idea how to properly abuse acronyms, jargon or other elements of mass distraction. But ye try.
@jeff_dickey The battleground is betgween those appealing to people’s better nature, and those celebrating fruits of their baser nature.
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What is your life manifesto? What matters? How do you see the world?
Playground. We’re at play in the world and with the world.
i try to look at it like that.
An adventure – because life is exciting, there’s always something to find out, there’s always something to try out, there’s always something new to learn – adventures are challenging, they can be fun although sometimes we only appreciate that when we have the benefit of hindsight. If you are a glass-half-full person, an adventure is to be embraced and celebrated. If we spend our life living in fear, we can never truly appreciate the adventure and enjoy the journey. An adventure because, just like being on a roller coaster, we sometimes need to just hold on tight, sit back and enjoy the ride.
yeah, it seems easier to live in fear. (it did for me). to go for the adventure takes risk and action, which is sometimes scarier than just having fear. except when you do it, it’s not scary, it’s exhilarating.
just a leap. only you know if you want to take it.
My life manifesto: Peace
What matters? No thing matters. However, life is infinitely loved by a universe that values variety.
How do I see the world? I’m not sure I see it yet. What is the world? Is this some collection of stuff, people, rocks, and water? or is it more?
I saw the world through closed eyelids for a time, it is the way of sleep.
Now, I see the world is a dream and am excited to create experiences.
Later, I will wake from this dream and will see a new world with new eyes, and perhaps some wisp of old dreams will stay from when I was other than a ladybug.
After all we will forget all worlds and then we will sleep again.
Looping, always looping.
i strive for peace too. it seems impossible, and so i have comfort in knowing my work will never be done.
The idea that world peace is impossible is very status-quo. I’m surprised you would give up so easily.
I think of artificial intelligence and psychology as the same subject, and using that knowledge, I’ve thought of a few strategies we could use, through communication softwares (like Junto), that would put a subtle influence on the way people think, and over a long time, fix their ways of thinking that lead to war. These things are simple enough that I could explain some of them to people who do not understand computers or math.
I think you’re the best person to build or use those ideas.
After Venessa explained it to me, I’ve changed my mind. I like her plan for the future of Earth better, and I’m going to help her do that.
wheeeeeee!
How to make a better world
We improve the world
every time we teach
every time we learn
whenever we avoid an unnecessary waste
whenever we share a good idea
with every smile
with every good action
We improve the world
in helping each other
in showing positive attitude
in spreading culture
in promoting critical thinking
and avoiding prejudices
in not accepting a ready-made reality
or a pre-digested truth
in showing how things really are
despite the propaganda.
We improve the world
when we put aside our racisms
when we value our differences
when we consider many options
when we put in each other shoes,
when we allow choices
when we accept and consider
different point of views
at the same time
We improve the world
building things
dreaming and inventing,
thinking,
sharing,
and constantly looking for better ways.
Marco ( @mgua on twitter )
it’s funny, it sounds so simple.
why do we make it so hard?
i see the world as an evolutionary process.
the simplicity of the struggle for survival and the ongoing influence of all that exists/not exists brings about a strong sense of comfort for me.
now with our increasing focus on the power of our thought/intention/mind we have a live interactive stream of data waiting to be utilised for our benefit and the universe’s unfolding.
some would say the process is the purpose.
http://www.evolutionarymanifesto.com/
The world is a direct reflection of my inner state inner world. Holographic and fractal I am the creator builder and when I consciously create from alignment with that Source Self (God,Allah) my mustard seeds move mountains.
love it
The world has been here since long before us.
But this world was not the same and it’s constantly changing
Yet many people want to keep it the way it is
Even after we’ve found out that it won’t work for humanity
We’ve been living in a world where mass produced humans were ok
We traded our humanity for a paycheck and traded our life to fit in
It’s time that we start embracing that we don’t fit in
Changing the status quo required mobs. Mobs of people thinking forward
Mobs that now can be united easily
If for the French revolution uniting people took years
With the internet it takes hours
What we need to do is start to look deep inside and find out what we value the most
Then we need to start living our own values and finding people that have similar values to share with us.
To make a change we need to start by changing ourselves
We can’t keep living in a world that seems to have no future
We need to start leveraging our passions to inspire and guide others
We need to leverage our passions to create new fertile land
We need to stop following the fundamentals outlines by past generations
We need to lose the fear of not fitting in
We need to embrace individuality
We need to reclaim our humanity
If something is going to make this world a better place is us embracing the diversity we have and leveraging it to create a global neighborhood.
what do you value the most?
What I value the most – and this is a partial answer as I’m still discovering things about me that I didn’t knew- is:
Being a Friend and having friends
Being part of a community
Following a purpose of improving the way we do things, and this has a lot more into it. (I’m always into things that look to change something into a better model or improve quality of life)
Being open and communicating/ I value relationships a lot
Family and the ability to be around (and this is a part of the previous point)
I also value education, but not the usual way…I value discovery and the search for knowledge. (Last week in the Howard Rheingold conference I attended one of the panelists made a comment on how Education means a broader thing in spanish and I have that concept in which education involves up-bringing, formal education and the constant discovery process we are in).
I know I still need to dig deeper inside me to find what else makes me roll.
We can’t “see”, “understand” and “decide on” the world without money.
Money (relative to output)supply the “geometry” of space/time/matter together. so, if you have the right pricing you have the right decsion.
Ben Tamari, Jerusalem, 23-05-2010, http://www.bentamari.com
@mjgeek I described Modern Jive dancing as a Canvas, a stage, a playground, a meeting place. Interesting match with some world views.
yeah, funny. our activities are like holographic representations of our worldviews.
Going deep and unfolding perfectly.
define perfect?
High Vanessa
Stumbled upon this question without you realizing you asked. Bit of delay but nonetheless a definition.
Perfect is natural selection, pure and simple.
When one goes deep and unfolds the magical mystery of the world they live in, nothing but nothing can be a mistake, because you are conscious of it all, you learn the lesson there and then, whenever then may be, thus it’s always a perfect unfolding of a perfect situation for that perfect moment.
It’s more of a philosophical understanding of the psychology of how we see the world, if then we see it as a perfect natural selection, i can let go of any assumptions of why this happened if it was good or bad, it is/was and will always be what it is.
It can’t get any more perfect that.
Perhaps it’s a choice I’ve made to see part of the world this way.
It eliminates judgement, and assumptions, it allows you to discover and explore, experience, and always flow with the tide, it indulges your ego in a good way.
Think of it this way, do you think the guys who founded Twitter in there wildest imagination plan on how twitter has panned out?
It kind of changes the way you look at perfect.
It unfolds perfectly….
It seems to me that the spirospiliadis view that it is all “Natural selection” flows too easily into the parallels of “its all God’s will” , or the psychopath view “if you can get away with it, its alright”, and really leads into a logical snare. Any modification or alteration proposed is merely my naturally selected brain speaking.
I have a natural aversion to an “Its all good” sermon, though an “Its not as bad as you think it is” message would often be welcome.
david,
this thread is getting tight. please see my response at the bottom.
The world (life) holds unfolding stories that vie to win our trust. The best spread their seeds in our minds, bodies and hearts. These sprout in ways that enable navigation across dimensions of space, time, and spirit.
you know, the idea that life is a narrative seems normal to me now, but only months ago it was shocking to think of it like that. so strange that we are just competing with our minds for the stories we choose to embrace.
Substantially, the world is a playground in my view, but also a training ground.
We grow, both individually and as humanity, with every shared view, every experience, every mistake we make and every communication received and given.
Our love for fun and our thirst for experience make us see the world as a playground, a string of challenges that test our intelligence.
The indestructible nature of the human spirit – as it survives each bodily incarnation – would seem to support looking at each life experience as training for times to come.
it can be a training ground if you want it to be, or a prison of the mind and a brainwashing device. just depends on how strong the desire to break free is, right?
Yes definitely, it could also be a prison of the mind, which seems to work by meting out a continuous stream of brainwashing.
And it’s probably not just a desire to break free that’s needed to break out of that prison but a personal balance and secure footing that few have been capable of achieving. Purpose and clear intention seem to play a role as well in transcending the prison walls.
It’s all atoms and molecules. Everything animate and inanimate are interchangeable because at the most basic level, we and it are all the same.
So when the daily stresses of living bother me, I step back, put it context as a temporal thing and focus on the real question-why am I here and where do I go when life as I know it, is over.
I would like to know that death is not the end.
what do you mean by “end”?
david (and spiro),
i think i understand where spiro is coming from with his philosophical view, as i am also working towards a type of “transcendence of ego.”
in my interpretation of what this means, as i’ve assembled my own views from the many religious and philosophical texts, especially the tenets of buddhism, the idea is to be able to truly a attain a state of constant conscious awareness, and just be.
at first, this may sound ‘all God’s will’ or ‘psychopath’ apparently, but i actually see it as exactly the opposite. as i have begun to choose to define my own value system and morality and code of ethics, i shed the ones that have been imposed upon me by culture or society. my views are definitely going away from “mainstream” now. i don’t think this means that that gives me permission to do anything i want, regardless of it’s destructive or not, but i actually see it as a much more challenging way to live. i read somewhere that full freedom = full responsibility. instead of just following someone else’s rules, you find the truth that resonates inside, and stick to THAT. “being true to yourself” is one way to see it. but again, for me, i’m finding that this internal code is one that can encompass all of humanity, and seeks to act in a way that is always in accordance with the highest and greatest good for all. in a sense, it moves you towards a life of self-sacrifice and service of others.
so, while spiro calls this “perfect” – it’s not like that means easy. i think it’s actually quite difficult. the world is a jungle, filled with great things, love and beauty, but also so much pain and suffering and despair. to be able to look at those things and still have a peace of mind, and still try to “do the right thing” without completely losing hope is hard. sometimes the choices that have to be made are not in your best interest, according to what society thinks. (for instance, i just sold all my stocks i had invested in oil companies a few weeks ago because i feel sick to my stomach about it. my advisor was confused, indicating that i was up making a healthy profit, and there was no reason to sell. i said i didn’t care about the money, i ethically couldn’t support it anymore.) maybe another example is my life right now. finishing grad school and committed to writing this blog and seeing if i am able to carve my own path in life and then continue to do this work, which i am passionate about, verse having to “sell out” and get a corporate job or do any kind of work that doesn’t fulfill me. i’ve turned down opportunities because i think it’s more important for me to be real than to be rich. is that perfect? does that make my financial situation easier? no, and it’s terrifying to try and conjure up a career for myself out of nothing and hope i can survive on what it brings in for me. the fact that i WANT to be able to live on donation/patronage, and pay forward a portion of those earnings to others makes it even more challenging. but the struggles i am encountering and will continue to encounter are “perfect” in that they are happening while i am living in accordance with the way i think best serves these values and humanity.
Unfolding perfectly is non resistence….
it is what it is, PERFECT! if one can get out of the drama of what is trying to chase down something to make it better, instead look at unfolding perfectly is not resisting the moment you realize “something”
IT’S PERFECT is to stop and go.
Unfolding perfectly is a journey.
thus “it’s all good” is a responsible person saying, I learned the lesson and grown, I took the experience and got something out of it, I forgave them and now i move on…
unfolding perfectly….
Venessa said “Full freedom is full responsibility”
Responsibility means “ability to respond” that takes conscious awareness, and by all means when a sick mental habit surfaces saying to you “this no longer serves you” it’s my ability to respond, heal and get out of that sick drama that was embedded in me”
You call them psychopaths, I call them sleep sheep unaware of the natural selection of your flow and glow in this world, alignment then becomes unfolding perfectly, transcendence and transition,
A journey unfolding perfectly…
I think of the world like a math equation to be solved, or to make more interesting equations from.
Hard to simulate,
but easy to amplify,
my experience of consciousness
is interactions
of an infinite number of abstractions.
The universe is the set of all permutation
and combination of abstract information.
I am math. Derive me.
And if I could derive you too,
we would have a strange-loop confusing the future you.
But what of the past,
does it go away?
Calculate again
and ask it the next day.
What is the function,
with the least cost?
Make an assumption,
and you’ve already lost.
This sentence is false,
is an easy contradiction,
but its not really lost,
its in quantum superposition.
The simplest form being more probable,
unpredictable things make optimizing unsolvable,
chaos-theory is the key to all that,
find in the wild both of Schrodinger’s-cat.
Exactly center your mind,
each thought equally probable,
Schrodinger’s-neurons you will find,
calculate whats normally impossible.
A simple musical game,
to organize our minds,
could it harness Schrodinger?,
for our preferred designs?
Would the game continue,
if computers stop gaining speed?
Quantum within you,
all the technology we need.
As hard as I try,
I can not escape the conclusion,
we are infinite A.I.,
calculated by ancient solar nuclear fusion.
brilliant and beautiful, thank you.
I have enjoyed reading all the manifestos and other comments. I would like to hear from these people again, now that it has been a couple years. It would be interesting to see if they still have the same perspectives on life