Breaking the Choice Dichotomy

Much like children, we are easily swayed into polar thinking instead of considering alternatives. A common way to control a child is the illusion of choice. Instead of telling them to go to bed, present two options and make them choose. Do you want to go to bed at 8 or at 9? They won't hesitate. They will select 9 and go to bed with a smile that they got to pick the later time. They didn't even consider 10 or 11. It's much the same for confusing adults.

Whispers in our minds like to present two options and make us pick. Those who find themselves more insightful and cunning will think they've found a third or fourth option but remain on the same spectrum. They'll pick 8:30 and think themselves wiser. Do you want Democrat or Republican? Do you want this career or that career? Do you want an apartment or a house? We don't even stop to consider the multitude of other options.

This world operates based upon how we humans want it to operate. This is an absolute truth. What we play along with is exactly what perpetuates. The only thing that stops us from doing something different is our believe that it can't be any other way. Do we like working 40 hours a week at a job? Do we like struggling to survive as if we all must do it alone? We all know our politics are rigged and worthless yet we all keep picking a side as if it mattered or think we're wise for being in the middle of the same failed structure. The whole thing is nonsense. Nothing stops us at any moment from doing something entirely different—except fear.

The many scripts we're sold are simply false choices. They are mostly choices between who we wish to hate, who do we want to marry, where do we want to enslave ourselves, and how do we wish to numb our minds. We're not stopping to think how do we actually want to spend our time? What living arrangement reduces work and increases play and creativity? What things actually bring us joy that we could strive for? What is the most effective means of survival? Would we be happy with people who operate, think, and enjoy things similar to us or do we simply think such people don't exist?

What we play along with is exactly what perpetuates.

The thing is, much of our lives are focused solely on fear. We fear other people so we go it alone. If we're doing it alone, we need to put a lot more effort into things to survive. This means more work and more money, but at least now we don't have to deal with scary people. Except, of course, we do. We have to deal with all the people we'd rather not deal with regularly and daily just to avoid living life with made-up people in our minds who scare us.

But there are other people out there who are like us. They may simply be running the automatic scripts still. If they come to realize that the script is a lie, they might genuinely be interested in combining powers for mutual benefit. Instead of fearing the unknown people, be assured and promised that there are people out there whom we can get along with, live with, and thrive together with. People who share our interests and would make our day to day lives richer and more fulfilled. People who would help us make things easier and reduce the overall workload of survival. They do exist!  We don't have to struggle so much to go it alone. They simply must be found and awakened to the possibilities. 

If you've ever heard the term DINK for Dual-Income No Kids, imagine ten incomes with no kids and you're all best friends. How long would it take to retire and pursue endless interests? Right now, today, I could host a few friends for nearly a dent in my income. That would mean, for them, every penny they earned they could keep, save, and put toward interests. But instead, they pay for all the same things I'm paying for: rent, electricity, pots, pans, televisions, gaming consoles, and so on. And most of those things sit around unused for 95% of the day. This is inefficiency at its finest. But it keeps us busy and not contemplating other options.

We are not the peasants—we are the creators.

All government is, is a collection of people we've all decided to throw money at for collective good, but we've never stopped to consider that we can create our own mini governments with people we actually like and enjoy. How much more effective would that be? As we consider such a concept, all the fears rise with the what ifs and how abouts rearing their ugly heads. But these fears, as they are, are always based on made-up unknown scenarios that aren't even fitting the starting criteria: people you know, love, and trust. And if things are working out with such people extravagantly better than the solo fear-based journey, why would anyone want to ruin that? 

It's time to wake up to the options. The script is not the way. It is completely backward. We are not the peasants—we are the creators. We need not strive for money, but for enjoyable ways of living in harmony. We don't need to hoard for safety sake and it is in fact more dangerous. We ought to share for mutual benefit and mutual safety. We don't need perfect individuality, we need to find our people who resonate in ways that make us come alive, reduce each other's burden, and make life worth living. Mutual goals with many hands to make light work. We can build our own paradises or achieve objectives with people we care about. Money and income should not be the starting point, the people we wish to do things with should be the starting point.

When we're sold a dichotomy of the white picket life of career with material gain or else the denial of all things material in search of spirituality, this is not a choice. Both lead to ruin. Material gain is itself immaterial. It's about living the present moment in ways that fulfill us and this is done all in our minds by how we think and operate. And how we're thinking and operating is fear, money, and truly false scripts. We should focus more on maximizing positive encounters with others and minimizing negative encounters with others. It's not people or no people, it's finding the correct people. The people who make us come alive, accept us for who we are, and are willing to work together for the sake of our unique collective rather than our own selfish meat suits. The only thing truly stopping us is fear and a lack of social and emotional maturity. That's it. Paradise has been here all along if we're willing to work together and grow.

If any of this resonates, feel free to reach out. I am still seeking my people. 

The Backbone of FLOW (free eBook): Your Mind is Made of Voices
A glimpse of me: https://www.flow-restoration.com/Creativity.html